The World Turns Gray
by media monkeys
Summary: Hermione Granger is in a happy relationship with Klaus Baudelaire. But nothing's quite what it seems, and Hermione discovers how her lover decieved her. Warning: Explicit FemmeSlash, slash, and het. HGBS, HPKB, DMGW. Twilight characters appear also.
1. Perfectly perfect

**Disclaimer**: Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling. If it belonged to me, only people on crack or patently insane would read the books.

**Rating:** **R** for **mature themes** later on.

**Warnings:** There will be some slash and femme/slash (Main paring: HGBS) in this.  
Also, the characters had to be out of character a little, for plot reasons and so that I could get the pairings right.

**Pairings: **Hermione/Bella Swann (eventual – the main pairing for my challenge), Draco/Ginny, and Klaus/…read to find out.

**Note:** This is a personal challenge I did for myself after doing a quiz fanfiction-writing-related and finding question number twenty-four amusing (not to mention the end pairing rather ridiculous). I'll post the question at the end of the fic so I don't give away the plot. _  
_To explain, for the questionnaire I did you had to write 12 fictional characters. My number one was Hermione, four Harry, five Draco, nine was Klaus (Baudelaire, from a series of unfortunate events), Twelve Edward (Cullen, from Twilight), and by accident I had done three and eleven both as Bella (Swan, from Twilight). Although, her being both those numbers worked out fine.  
I've never done a cross-over fic before, and though I'm writing it as a relatively serious drama fic – not humour – the pairing I got from the question was kind of funny… Enjoy the story!  
…Oh, and I've decided to write the memories in italics. Because I can. And so you know what parts are flashbacks.

**Chapter One**

Hermione Jean Granger had the perfect life.

As a child, she'd grown up as a muggle with her perfectly sensible, loving, muggle parents. After discovering she had magic, she went to Hogwarts, where she got good (in fact, the best) grades, best friends, and eventually helped the infamous Harry Potter defeat Voldemort. And then, in her seventh year, with the transfer of three lonesome albeit brilliant orphans, Hermione Jane Granger got the perfect boyfriend- Klaus Baudelaire.

Klaus was amazing. Like her, he shared the desire to know as much as he could about everything- and through books. And everything that Klaus read, he remembered. They had brilliant conversations together- trading knowledge and wit and the occasional morbid joke (Klaus).

After graduation, Klaus had asked Hermione to move in with him. Not long after that, she got the job as head of a new department the ministry had – the department for Experimental charms and potions: creating new spells and potions, and modifying existing one's. Another bonus of the job was that the golden trio's long time nemesis Draco Malfoy was to be her assistant. Hermione Granger, Draco Malfoys boss! Life was great.

It is in fact half a year after Hogwarts graduation, after a perfect day of her torturing Draco at work, that we begin our story.

Hermione Granger hummed happily to herself as she finished up the report on her staff's newest breakthrough- a potion that rendered the drinker unable to be effected by the Imperio curse for a month. It would help auror's so much – Hermione couldn't wait to get it to Harry and Ron (both who had gotten jobs as auror's after school)- the department just had to figure out why everyone who drank it also turned blue and gained a third eye.

"Good work today, Draco." Hermione grinned at the blonde boy in question; whose desk sat a few metres from hers. After a couple of impossible months together, for the sake of the department they had formed a truce, and eventually, Draco Malfoy had become one of Hermione's best friends. That's not to say they didn't still fight a lot.

"I'll be needing that report to be filed and I want the latest update on the spell Demetri and Holly are working on, on my desk by Friday afternoon."

Draco muttered a curse under his breath, turning to glare at her. "I can't get that done by tomorrow! Not after everything else you've asked me to do." Indeed, tell-tale signs of late nights at work showed through the dark circles under his eyes. "What's so important that you're taking a week off from work on Saturday anyway?"

Hermione sighed dreamily, uncharacteristically twirling her hair between her fingers.

Draco smirked sardonically, not at all amused, and mouthed the words as she said them: "Klaus and I- it's our anniversary… we've been together for a year on Saturday!"

"Bloody wanker," Draco muttered darkly.

Hermione glared at him sharply. "My desk by tomorrow morning now, ferret."

Dracos eye's widened comically in disbelief, "W-what! That's impossible! Hey, Hermione! …Hermione, get back here!" He yelled at her retreating back as she walked out of the office.

But Hermione Granger was back on cloud nine, and didn't here a thing.

Poor Draco.

Once again humming softly to herself, Hermione walked down the corridor towards the apparition point and closed her eyes in complete bliss. Another perfect year. And today, since Klaus had been given the day off (he was a journalist for the daily prophet, not to mention an author himself), she'd decided to surprise him by coming home early.

She could still remember the first time she'd seen and met Klaus Baudelaire. He and his siblings, Violet and Sunny, had stared out at the school with impassive faces as Dumbledore told the school how the three were his second cousin twice removed– husbands – brothers grandchildren, and to be nice and help them around, and that because they had their younger sister to take care of, they would be given their own private rooms. Violet and Klaus were then sorted – both into Ravenclaw.

Hermione hadn't thought much of the three then. 'They look rather sad…' she had mused to herself before helping herself to some chicken- before Ron could get there first and eat it all.

She could also recall vividly the first time they had met, how they had instantly had a connection, and everything that had followed. She smiled and thought back. She'd been looking for a certain book on potions for a difficult essay Snape had just given them.

_  
Hermione cursed as she re-checked the shelf for the book she needed. 'Why? Madam Pince said no one had checked it out…" she thought, frustrated. _

Startled, she heard the sound of approaching footsteps behind her. 'Who could that be… barely anyone other than me ever comes in here…' she turned in apprehension and saw a boy about her height, with glasses similar to Harry's, approaching her. His dark hair fell into his troubled eyes, and she noted that he had the book she had been searching for.

"Sorry… were you looking for this book?" He asked politely albeit quietly, holding out the book in question to her apologetically.

"Yes… thank you," Hermione replied, taking the book and noticing his discomfort. She smiled warmly, holding out her hand. "I'm Hermione Granger, and it's a pleasure to meet you…"

He hesitated, but then took her hand and smiled back. "Likewise. My name's Klaus Baudelaire. You're in Professor Snape's advanced potion classes, then?"

She nodded enthusiastically. "Yes, and he's such a great teacher; it's a shame that he has to be such a jerk." She grinned.

Klaus let out a small laugh and agreed. "So, what other subjects do you take?" He asked, looking genuinely intrigued.

All tension gone, the two sat down and eased into comfortable conversation about Hogwarts. Soon, Hermione was meeting him constantly at the library, eager for the verbal frenzy only he could inspire. Harry and Ron were great friends, but she was glad to have some one she could relate to on a more intellectual level.

After being friends for quite a few months, he even told her about her past- him and his sisters had to move from relative to relative during their childhood, ever since a fire had destroyed their home and killed their parents when Klaus had only been eight years old. Finally, Violet had gotten accepted to a small magic school in France- and conveniently enough, a distant cousin of theirs taught there. Because of this, Klaus and Sunny had been able to stay there with their cousin, and eventually Klaus himself had joined the school. An unfortunate encounter with a violent hippogriff had killed their kind cousin, and they had decided to move to Hogwarts to start over.

"…And that's about it." Klaus finished quietly, finishing his story of his life so far. His eyes had a far away look in them, and the sad look on his face made Hermione ache – she wished she could do something to make him feel better...

Feeling her eyes on him, Klaus snapped out of his trance and attemped to smile at her. "And of course, I know all about your years here at Hogwarts- Harry, Ron and you are after all the most famous, not to mention powerful teenagers around. It's amazing, everything you three have risked for the wizarding world." He was trying to change the subject, she knew, but she let him.

"Thanks Klaus." She paused for a moment and then added, "If you ever need someone to talk to, I'm always here for you."

Klaus nodded and then blushed scarlet.

Hermione noticed and laughed. "Whats wrong?" She asked. 'He's so adorable… and nice… and fun…' she thought dreamily, staring at him as he looked at his feet, taking off his glasses to clean them, a letting her see his brilliant blue eyes. He was fidgeting nervously, and seemed not to have registered her question.

"So… I was wondering… Hermione, if you're not going- I-I mean, if you haven't got a partner yet… would you go to the ball with me?" He stuttered shyly, looking around the room at anything but her.

Hermione stared at him for a moment in surprise, then a huge grin broke out on her face- maybe there was a chance for her, maybe he liked her the way she liked him!

Klaus took her short silence as a no. "Never mind. I should have known that someone of your intelligence and charm already had a someone to go with... s- omphf!" Hermione had tackled him into a hug, laughing.

"Klaus, there's no one I would rather go with." She told him ecstatic. He turned bright red again, and gingerly hugged her back, the happiest he himself had been in a while.

  
After the ball, Klaus had asked her on a date, and they'd become an official couple. 

Seeing the apparition point Hermione checked her watch- it was almost six pm, and she usually got home at eight. Not much extra time with Klaus, but still… she shrugged. Maybe they could go on a date, or simply rent a movie and eat pizza at home. Then Klaus could tell her about his day- he had been planning to visit his sisters Violet and Sunny that day, since he wouldn't see them for a week while he and Hermione would be on their week-long anniversary holiday.

She frowned, remembering that the Minister of magic had let her go only because he'd decided Draco could handle her position for a week, and because of all the extra shifts she usually put in. Oh well, Draco would be fine. At this she reached the apparition point and apparated to the familiar alley a block from her house. Both having grown up as muggles, Klaus and Hermione had decided to live in a muggle neighbourhood, at least for a while.

This memory alone bought Hermione back to her dream state as she casually walked out of the alley and towards her apartment. She remembered how, after graduation – and a strange fight with Harry - he had pulled her into a deserted classroom to talk to her.

_  
"Harry, you git, what's wrong? We're supposed to be best friends!" Hermione yelled distraught. _

She wasn't oblivious- she'd noticed that he'd been avoiding her, and how when he could he'd look incredibly uncomfortable and make up a bad excuse to leave her, saying that he was sorry and of course he wasn't avoiding her- he was just really busy. After the graduation ceremony and the third vague excuse of "I have to… find this thing by the place…" she'd managed to corner him in the entrance hall.

"God damn it Hermione! I've already told you nothings wrong! Why do you always have to be such a stuck up nosy cow!" Harry yelled back.

Hermione looked at him in shock. It was always Ron who was the one to lose his temper, and even then – Ron had never insulted her like that, not like Harry had, like he meant it. Harry was always the one pulling them apart, making them see that they were being idiots.

"What have I done Harry?" She asked, blinking back tears.

Sighing, Harry pulled his hand through his messy black hair. "It-it's not you Hermione. I'm sorry for snapping at you. God, it's just… I've been a bit stressed lately, and I'm sorry, I didn't mean to take it out on you."

"You can tell me, whatever it is that's got you stressed. I'm sure we can figure something out." Hermione whispered to him, tears dripping down her cheeks.

Harry noticed and looked away in shame. "It's… don't worry. It doesn't matter. I'm sorry I hurt you Hermione."

"Ahem." The two turned around and finally noticed Klaus behind them. He glared at Harry, then turned to Hermione with an apologetic look. "Could I have a word with you? There's not much time left before everyone has to pack for the Hogwarts Express…" 

Hermione hesitated, glancing at Harry in question. He looked at her sadly and nodded in answer. She gave him a small smile and hugged him tightly. "Best friends forever, Harry… we've been through to much together for anything to change that." She pulled back and went to Klaus, and Harry finally smiled, although it looked a little forced.

"Of course, Mione." He said, watching with a sad face as Klaus scowled at him and put his arm protectively around Hermione's waist.

"Er… Klaus, where are we going?"

"Library." He said simply.

They walked in silence and finally got there, Hermione staring appreciatively around the room. "I'm going to miss this place…" she stated sadly.  


_  
Klaus nodded in agreement, and relaxed for the first time since he'd pulled her away from Harry. "It's not just the books I'm going to miss… we've got so many memories in here- the first time we met…" _

"All the great conversations we had…When you asked me to the ball…" Hermione continued, smiling in remembrance.

Klaus chuckled. "And you, saying yes to going out with me…"

Hermione grinned. "Not to mention all the times we snogged in the restricted section," she laughed as Klaus looked away, slightly embarrassed.

He cleared his throat and glared at her teasingly for laughing at him. "Anyway, Hermione, as you know, last year Violet graduated, and only a month ago on her eighteenth birthday she inherited our family fortune…" He looked at her and she gestured for him to continue, confused as to what that had to do with anything.

"Well, Violet divided the money she inherited into three, so one third one the fortune is mine. Erm, and I was thinking, instead of moving in with her and Sunny after graduation, I could use some of that money to get an apartment close to where I'll be working- you know, as a journalist for the daily prophet…"

Hermione nodded, unsure where this was headed.

"So, I was thinking… I know you were going to flat with Harry and Ron, but if you wanted to, maybe you could move in with me?" He looked at his shoes in rapt fascination at this point, avoiding her gaze.

"Klaus, I would love to!" Hermione smiled at him.

He let out a sigh of relief and looked back. "Really? God, Hermione, I was going out of my mind- we hadn't talked about our relationship now that Hogwarts is over, I wasn't sure if you'd still want to be with me. But I'm glad." He flashed her a shy smile.

Klaus already had an apartment in mind, and showed Hermione when they reached muggle London. It was close to where Klaus worked as well as a number of good shopping malls, and it was also easy to get from the apartment to the leaky cauldron. It also had a dirty alley way down the road a street over, that Hermione thought could be a good place to apparate to- it was likely that no muggles would be looking in it if she apparated in it.

The apartment itself was humble yet spacious, with a bedroom, a bathroom, a kitchen and dining room, and a living room. It also had a deck that – from four storeys high- overlooked muggle London and in Hermiones opinion was beautiful at night with all the city lights.

  
After two weeks they had moved in to it. Harry, Ron and even Ginny popped in on them occasionally, and they barely ever fought. If they did, it was usually over something ridiculous, like the disagreement they had about Harry. It hadn't been too big of a fight, and they'd made up almost immediately after, but for about a week after that fight, Klaus had been really withdrawn. 

Hermione had wanted to put up apparition wards so that their friends would have to come in the normal way- through the front door. Her and Klaus generally walked home anyway, and she hated thinking that anyone could just pop by unannounced at any time. What if she'd been in the shower, or if they were out? Both of these things had happened. Ron had popped by and, without Hermione or Klaus there to stop him, ate most of there food and then fell asleep on their bed.

Hermione wouldn't mind so much if it didn't feel like he was a free loader- the only times Ron came over seemed to be when the promise of food was involved.

Once, Hermione at stepped out of the shower with only a towel on, into the bedroom to be face to face with Harry. Both had shrieked and Hermione had fled back to the safety of the bathroom. Harry couldn't look her in the face for a week.

She had told Klaus, and he still hadn't agreed with her about the wards.

_"What if an emergency comes up Hermione?" He snapped angrily. _

"Like what Klaus? If it's a real emergency, then they can still apparate to the hallway outside our door, just not straight inside!" She yelled back.

"You're being ridiculous." Klaus muttered. He then promptly picked up the nearest book to him and proceded to ignore her.

"I'm being ridiculous? You won't even face me properly to talk about this!"

He looked at her sharply. "Fine. We are not making apparition wards. Conversation over."

  
They were at each others throats about it for a while until Harry and Ron apparated into the room, stopping their argument as Hermione shot him a 'I told you so' look. How were they supposed to have privacy? In any case, they hadn't brought the problem up since. 

Ignoring the hurt she felt as she remembered how angry Klaus had been, she turned her mind to thoughts about the holiday they were to go on. Hermione smiled softly to herself, and turned into the apartment building on her left, going immediately into the elevator and pushing the button for the fourth floor. 'Maybe… maybe he'll finally say those three small words…' Hermione thought. She refused to get her hopes up though- Klaus was shy, and she wasn't even sure how she felt about him.

The elevator dinged, bringing her out of her musings as she stepped out to the hallway and down to her apartment, bringing out her key and quietly- still hoping to surprise Klaus- unlocking the door. It'd been her way of silent protest, even on really late night shifts that had her coming in at one in the morning, she refused to apparate into the apartment.

Walking in and closing the door softly behind her, she immediately knew something was wrong. Klaus was definitely home – his shoes were by the door, his notes for work laid out on the table- but his glasses were on top of that. Klaus barely ever took off his glasses… she didn't hear the shower going, and she could see him… she felt like her stomach was up in her throat. What could've happened…

'The bedroom door is closed… Maybe… maybe he's in bed sleeping. He's been looking kind of tired lately… or- maybe he finally went out and got contacts…' she doubted both of these. Klaus found contacts annoying and would never sleep early; he usually had to work to meet a deadline. And if not, then he would read until Hermione got back and then talk to her.

A low moan came from the bedroom, and she walked slowly over to it. Several more moans came from and she wondered what could have happened – was he in pain? At this thought Hermione quickly opened the door… only to let out a horrified gasp at the scene in front of her.

Klaus was indeed in bed. But he was naked… and Harry, her best friend Harry bloody Potter, was naked in bed with him.

And suddenly Hermione Granger's life wasn't so perfect anymore.

------

(a/n: Sooo! No flames please, remember that I did warn you about the slash. And the upcoming femmeslash.  
But constructive criticism is encouraged- and any notes on spelling or grammar mistakes. Oh, and I tried to keep the characters relatively themselves, but for plot reasons, I had to change them a little. And I know Klaus must be really out of character, but in my defence I read the Lemony Snicket books ages ago.

And don't say I didn't warn you all about the slash. Or the upcoming femme/slash. I'm kind of feeling weird about writing it myself, cause I'm straight, it's been mildly disturbing… gah, my boyfriends been pissing me off lately though. Mutter, mutter…

Anyway, Review! I know that little button is tempting you…)


	2. Tabula Rosa

(a/n: Another warning. Slash, that's right, SLASH – however mild, with no sex - below. Writing it was mildly disturbing for me, especially the lesbian scene. And sorry if it seems like Harry doesn't care about Hermione- he's just been fighting for Klaus for ages and is willing to take any chance he gets. He'd rather Hermione knew the truth as well, rather than living a lie.  
And so that everything makes more sense, the trio defeated Voldemort in sixth year, and Ginny was in the same year as them all in Hogwarts, so she graduated when they did.)

**Chapter two**

"Harry, this has to stop. I can't keep lying to Hermione. And I'm sure you can't either. She's your best friend, remember?" Klaus asked, slightly sarcastic.

It was six o'clock in the afternoon, and the two were standing in Klaus and Hermione's apartments' dining room, repeating an argument they'd had several times already.

"You know I feel guilty about it. But I can't help it." Harry sighed and pulled Klaus to him. The other boy struggled slightly, before stopping and giving in.

"It's our anniversary, Harry. She's so happy. You've seen her. And, I do love her, in a way..." he paused as his words made Harry hold him tighter and glare at him. "You know what I mean, Harry. Before I fell for you… she was it. Now she's like family, like a sister. I can't hurt her, not after everything she's helped me through."

"Then what are you doing with me? I love Hermione too, you know that!" Harry glared at him, holding him tighter.

"Harry, you're hurting me!" Klaus growled, pushing him away.

Harry immediately looked guilty. "I'm sorry, but you can't keep doing this. You have to decide- me or her. Who do you want to be with?"

Klaus looked away in shame as Harry took his glasses and placed them on the pile of work on the table. "Klaus…" he murmured. Klaus backed away, his vision so blurry he could barely make out Harry's form.

"My glasses. Give them back." He said sharply. He felt his back hit the wall behind him.

Harry grinned, amused. "Sure, I'll give them back… for a price. Hermione will be home at eight, right? That gives us heaps of time…" He pushed the boy further into the wall, his hands on the wall either side of his head, and roughly kissed him, until Klaus kissed him back, letting out a small moan. 

Harry pulled back and grinned, then half dragged Klaus to the bedroom.

- - -

Hermione thought she was going to throw up. "What…the…fuck!"

The boy's saw her and broke apart, hastily getting off the bed to grab their clothes. At least, Harry grabbed them and handed Klaus' his.

"You bastard! You complete bastard!" Hermione yelled, breaking down, then turning and apparating out of the apartment.

"What have I done?" Klaus groaned. "No, what have _we_ done?"

Harry sat on the bed, silently staring off into space, deep in thought. Klaus glared at him. "What the hell's wrong with you?" He demanded. "This is going to be killing her! Oh god, we have to find her and tell her… tell her something! …"

"Tell her that you're leaving her for me?" Harry suddenly suggested.

"Harry, have you lost your fucking mind?" Klaus asked distraught, his eyes wide with panic.

Harry ran a hand through his messy black hair, looking at the other boy with pleading eyes, and attempted to tell him what he meant. "Klaus, I think Hermione herself would say that she'd rather know if her partner was cheating on her, than remaining ignorant. I'm not so sure she'll ever talk to us again, but she'll be fine, I promise."

Klaus stood up impatiently. "Maybe we could obliviate her…" he muttered, pulling on his boxers and pacing up and down the room. "Maybe… maybe we could tell her it was a trick by one of the dark wizards you're trying to find, Harry. A trick to put her against us."

"Klaus." He stopped pacing to look at Harry. "We both know that would never work on Hermione. Is…" Harry looked away from him, causing Klaus to finally realize how much he was hurting him. "I-is it that you don't want to be with me…?" Harry finished softly.

Klaus sighed, a storm of emotions clouding his dull eyes. "Of course not. I'm sorry Harry... Let's stop the façade then. …I-I'll move in with you."

Harry smiled softly in response. "I've been waiting to here those words from you for so long. I only wish they could be under different circumstances. I think we should give Hermione some time, and then explain to her everything that's happened. Knowing Mione, she'll want to know…"

"Alright. …I just hope she's okay. I just want her to be happy, or find someone who makes her happy the way you make me."

- - -

Hermione apparated outside the Malfoy mansion, (which, she noted with a sneer, had wards placed around it) and bashed on the front door with a force no one would have realized the petite girl possessed.

Almost immediately a house elf answered the door, remember her from her other visits and let her in. "May I take your coat, ma'am?" It asked politely, but Hermione had already run off up the grand staircase, her sobs increasing dramatically. "Ginny? GINNY?!" she yelled hysterically.

The red-head in question popped her head out of a room down the hallway. "Hermione?"

The brunette ran to her and collapsed, sobbing on the floor. Ginny pulled her up into the living room, sitting her on the couch and pulling her into a hug. "Shh… it's alright, Mione, its okay." She soothed, patting her poor friend on the back. "Do you want to tell me what's happened?"

Hermione tensed, and for a moment Ginny thought the girl was going to do something drastic, but then Hermione sighed sadly and pulled away from her, her sobs slowly fading into small sniffs. "K-Klaus… I found Klaus in b-bed with… with Harry."

Ginny gasped, eyes widening in disbelief. "Oh my g- don't worry, Hermione. Look, you can stay here for as long as you like. That-…that foul prat doesn't deserve you. How could he cheat on someone like you? And with Harry, no less?" The small red-head ranted. Hermione closed her eyes and tuned out Ginny's incessant ramblings.

"Bastard… not good enough… never trusted him, not really… must be the glasses. Harry has practically the same glasses too." She finally noticed Hermione asleep against her and looked at her in compassion. 

"You've been through too much tonight… we'll have to talk about it in the morning. Cogful!" She called out, snapping her fingers. A house-elf with a pillow tied awkwardly around it as makeshift clothes suddenly appeared. "Yes Mistress Ginny?" Around the time Voldemort had been destroyed, Lucius had been exposed as a death-eater and sent to askaban, meaning Draco- who had fought with the light- inherited everything. Ginny had moved in with him as soon as Hogwarts had finished, and although she was only his girlfriend, she was treated as mistress of the house.

"Please take this girl to the nicest spare-bedroom we have. Perhaps the one over-looking the grounds, close to mine and Draco's room." She told it. The elf nodded, bowed low and, using its own magic, disappeared with Hermione.

Ginny shook her head slowly. "Not Hermione. Why did this have to happen to her?" She asked herself softly.

- - -

Hermione stirred as light filtered through the room, sitting up in the bed. The first thing she noticed was the lack of a body next to her, and that the light of the morning was coming through the window the wrong way.

"What…?" She mumbled, tumbling onto the floor ungracefully, before standing at stretching gingerly. Last night events suddenly registered, reminding her of coming home and then apparating to Ginny. Hermione's groggy expression cleared to one of grim determination. She wouldn't let it get to her, she didn't need _those_ two.

After a quick shower, Hermione left a note of thanks to Ginny, telling her she had gone to work, and not to worry about her – then used floo powder to get to the ministry.

Sitting down at her desk and realising she was about an hour late, she noticed the report she done had been filed away, and that Draco had put notes on where their co-workers were up to. She shifted in her chair guiltily, looking at him in his desk across from hers- how long had it taken him to do this for her? As if sensing her eyes on her, he looked up with a smile and nodded. "Morning Hermione. Don't forget that you're leaving at ten to day. You're only supposed to be in quickly to check up on things."

Hermione frowned. She was certain Ginny would have told Draco what had happened by now… "I don't think so, Draco. I'm… I won't be going anymore. Klaus and I… we're over."

Draco nodded, a strange look of sympathy on his face. "I heard. Sorry, Hermione. But you know, I always thought Potter was a fag," he chuckled weakly, only half joking. "Anyway, I think you should take the break anyway. You need a break; you need time to get over him. Ginny says that if you try to forget by putting your all into work, you'll just end up avoiding confronting the problem, and hurt yourself more. She said to tell you that."

He paused, and a devious smirk formed on his face. "Personally, I think she's right. What you need to do is drown your sorrows. Go to a bar, have a small fling, completely forget the prick. How about it, Granger? Come out with me and Ginny tonight. It could be fun."

Hermione winced. She couldn't leave everything at work for Draco to do. And if she went out with them, she'd only end up a third wheel. And how could she just forget Klaus that easily?

Draco noticed how torn she looked. "You know what Hermione? I've got everything here covered. Nothing will go wrong, I swear. Go back to the house, Ginny's there waiting for you." He got up and walked over to her desk.

Hermione shook her head. "No thanks, Draco, I'm fine. I-" he grabbed her hand, tugged her up out of her chair and gave her a hug.

"You're like family to me. If there's anything I can do to help, tell me. Until then," he pulled back and spun her round to face in the direction of the apparition point, "I'm not taking no for an answer. I ban you from work. Go back to the manor." He gave a gentle push, and she sighed and started walking, mumbling something under her breath that sounded suspiciously like 'over-protective ferret…'

- - -

Ginny giggled and smiled flirtatiously as they passed by a group of guys looking the two up. Hermione elbowed her sharply. "Poor Draco." She muttered to the girl. Ginny just chuckled and linked arms with her, pulling her swiftly through the crowds shopping in muggle London.

"Anyway, Mione, Draco and I were thinking of trying this new wizard club we've heard of. It's pretty high-class, you need to be v.i.p. to get in, or have some high connections. Luckily, Draco has both." She grinned and turned suddenly into a shop on their right.

"Hmm…" Ginny looked her up and down, eyeing with distaste the three-quarter pants and army top Hermione had on, before promptly grabbing the shortest mini-skirt in reach and shoving it at Hermione, dragging the shocked girl to the changing rooms, ignoring her protests.

"Ginny! What's wrong with my clothes? Oh my god, you're dressing me as a hooker!"

With a smirk surprisingly slytherin-like, the rambunctious red head simply chucked more things to her best friend over the door. "Hurry up in there! We still have about five more shops to check out!"

- - -

Hermione collapsed on her bed in the spare room the second they got back. "Thank merlin…" she murmured. As great a best friend as Ginny was, there was no way she was repeating that experience anytime soon. Not to mention she'd freaked out when Ginny had checked out her ass and told her she looked great and needed to 'flaunt it' more.

"Stop being so dramatic. It wasn't that bad." Ginny stood in the doorway, having just greeted Draco home from work, checking the time on her muggle watch. "It's seven, Draco just got home early, and he's getting ready now. We should do the same. And you _are_ coming. Even if it means I have to drag you there kicking and screaming. Draco made sure neither Harry nor Klaus were invited."

Hermione propped herself up on her elbows to scrutinise Ginny. "…Fine." She nodded finally, albeit reluctantly. She would do this for Ginny and Draco. 'And, they said nothing to me about not using the bar.' She decided that when she could, she would leave the couple behind and spend the rest of the night drinking. 'After all,' she thought bitterly, 'if you can't be happy, at least you can be drunk.'

- - -

Hermione and Ginny waited outside the manor for Draco. Ginny seemed fine, wearing a cute copper-coloured thin-strapped top that stopped before her stomach, showing off her belly button - where she had a small silver dragon as a piercing (a present from Draco), a dark blue denim mini-skirt, and strappy high-heels. Her hair was simply straight and out, and she had little make-up on- only eye shadow that had a smoky effect, making her eyes bigger and doe-eyed. 

Hermione however, shivered from the cold, rubbing her arms and hugging herself, already regretting agreeing to go. She was wearing a low silver top that showed off her cleavage without showing _too_ much and criss-crossed at the back, and matched her make-up: black eye liner, with silver eye shadow Ginny had done to be dramatic, which ended up enhancing the sharpness of her cheekbones. She also had a black mini-skirt on - which Ginny had said, teasingly glaring enviously, showed off her long legs and small butt – and some simple black strappy high-heels. Her hair had been left out and since her seventh year at Hogwarts, things like sleak-easy potions had been pointless, as her hair had turned into smooth waves, which now framed her face.

Draco stepped out the front door to them then, and stopped to exaggeratingly look them up in down, wolf-whistling. "You two look gorgeous," he grinned, and held out his arms for them to grab onto one each. "Shall we, ladies?" They grabbed onto him, and Ginny leaned across in front of him to tell Hermione, "He just wants to fulfil his dream of being a pimp, really." She giggled to Hermione, who simply raised an eyebrow to Draco in amusement.

Draco smirked, but didn't deny anything, instead apparating them outside the wizarding club, where a long line had formed. Seeing some big guys with wands out checking names off a list, Draco smirked superiorly and tugged the girls towards them. The people waiting in line glared at the three.

"Name?" One of the men asked haughtily.

Draco sneered back. "Draco Malfoy. And these two-" he gestured to Hermione and Ginny, "are with me."

The man huffed and checked the list, his eyes widening as Hermione saw Draco's name –and her's and Ginny's name beside it in brackets- under a small list at the top, where about ten names were written in red. The rest of the list was a long and had the names written in black. "Ah, Mr Malfoy. Sorry I didn't recognise you sooner. You're one of the guests invited straight from the clubs owner…" He babbled nervously. He checked them all to make sure they didn't have their wands on them, and then noticing Draco rolling his eyes and tapping his foot impatiently, he cleared his throat. "Go on in."

"About time…" Draco muttered to the girls. "This is Blaise Zambini's club- him and a friend of his, Edward Cullen, own it together. You remember Blaise, slytherin in Hogwarts? He's one of my best friends…" His words were drowned out by music as they entered the club, looking around in awe.

Fairy's flying around emitting a bright electric blue glow were the only sources of light, except for the occasional turn on of the strobe lights. There was a huge, crowded dance floor with people dancing and grinding, which you had to go through to get to the bar (which had a few people drinking there already, one of them floating as they drank a suspicious looking purple concoction), bathrooms, and a few sophisticated couches in a dark corner, where it appeared Blaise himself and some of the wizarding worlds celebrity's were laughing together, smoking what Hermione noted to be the mixture of unicorn hair and ground flobberworms in a pipe.

The mixture was not at all addictive like muggle smoking, the smoke not only put the smoker on some kind of high, when exhaled the smoke also made colour-changing images that symbolised whatever the smoker was thinking of, before slowly fading. If the smoker concentrated their thoughts, they could make whatever shape they wanted. The smoke was potentially dangerous though, not illegal, but to be taken with precaution- if you smoked it too much, it could do damage to your brain.

For safety measures, wand magic in clubs had long been outlawed by the ministry. Hermione had to admit that even without all they could have done with wand magic, the club was the most impressive she'd ever been too. Then again, she hadn't been to a lot, Klaus had never wanted to go. Hermione felt the familiar pang of sadness course through her. Klaus… how could he? Her sudden sadness was then taken over by anger, and she pulled Draco and Ginny through the dancers over to the bar, which had been spelled so that the music was half the volume it was on the dance floor.

"If you guys don't mind, I'm just going to hang here…" she motioned to the bar. "You can leave me here for the rest of the night. And don't worry about me getting back to the manor, I've got a port-key in my…" she glanced at Draco, almost having said cleavage, but knowing if she told him she'd never hear the end of it. "…shoe, since I don't have any pockets – it's just a small piece of paper, and I've charmed it to bring me back to your spare room at one tomorrow morning, so even if I get completely wasted, it should take me back there then."

Ginny looked at her in approval. "Good idea, Hermione. But before me and Draco leave you; promise you'll dance with someone tonight. It doesn't have to be right now, but… if someone asks you to dance, you're not allowed to say no. Promise me, and we'll," she motioned to her and Draco, "leave you alone."

Hermione glared at her, but Ginny merely looked coolly back at her. "Fine." Hermione said, sitting at the bar. "See you two later, then."

Draco waved sarcastically. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do," he grinned, before pulling Ginny onto the dance floor.

Hermione watched them disappear into the crowd of people and then sat on the stool and flagged a bar tender. "Something strong," she murmured. The bar-tender nodded and pulled off a bottle containing a glowing-green substance from the shelf behind him. "Had a ruff week, love?" He asked sympathetically. "This is a version of the muggle alcohol absinthe, or green fairy. No major side-effects, but if you drink enough you may hallucinate a tad." He poured it into a glass and handed it to her. "What name are you on the guest list?" He asked.

"I came with Draco Malfoy, my name's Hermione Granger." Hermione answered.

The man nodded. "Ah, yes. Anyone invited straight by Mr Zambini or Mr Cullen are allowed what they want from the bar free, so don't worry about paying. If you want anything else, please tell me."

Hermione nodded. "Thank you. In that case, would you mind leaving this bottle with me?" The guy gave her the bottle and left to serve another customer.

Taking a gulp, Hermione winced as the liquid burned down her throat. 'Absinthe… I think the muggle version is already seventy-something percent or stronger.' She mused. Hermione had a high tolerance for alcohol, but she already knew that another shot and a half would make her tipsy, and five shots would get her drunk. She poured the liquid into the shot glass again, and gulped it down. Someone sat down beside her, and she didn't bother to look at them until the stranger said her name.

"Hermione Granger?" A male voice announced, sounding surprised. She turned to see who it was, but couldn't recognise them. The stranger was so impossibly beautiful, she knew she would have remembered him if they had ever met before. His skin was pale, but perfect and flawless, a slight flush on his cheeks, and his eyes were a golden colour, emphasized by the dark circles he had under them. His hair was in casual disarray, a strange shade of bronze with streaks of auburn/copper through it. He was slender, but still a little muscular – enough to be fit and not look like a goon, more boyish than manly.

He flashed her a charming grin, causing her to blush and glance away. "Yes, that's me." She replied.

He looked at her in awe. "Wow, it's an honour to meet you, I was hoping you'd show up. I've read a lot of articles about the Department of Experimental Charms and Potions, and I have to say- you're work is amazing. I'm really impressed."

Hermione smiled back. "Thank you, er…"

"Oh, sorry. My name's Edward Cullen, and it's a pleasure to meet you." He took her hand gently and shook it, then brought it up to his lips and kissed it. Hermione with-drew immediately, not used to being single.

Edward fidgeted nervously and coughed. "So… my sources tell me you have a boyfriend. Would he be here tonight?"

Hermione grimaced. "Actually, we just broke up." She looked away from him and at the bottle infront of her, turning away from his intense gaze.

"Sorry." He said, not sounding sorry at all. "Well, as a single girl presumably on the re-bound, I think it's your duty to accept a dance with me." He offered, looking hopeful at the girl.

Hermione was about to turn him down, but she turned to glance at the dance floor and saw Ginny dancing with Draco and shooting suspicious looks at Edward and her. She remembered the promise she made and turned back to Edward, who was watching her curiously. "Well, if it's my duty, I suppose I'll have to dance with you, won't I?" She teased, standing up with him and letting him pull her to the dance floor.

She was completely prepared to be in the same bored, depressed state of mind she'd been in the last few days, but was surprised when Edward pulled her to him and started dancing with her- his hands running up and down her body, causing her to shiver, and the music so loud it took over the thoughts in her head until all she could do was dance, and she forgot everything… she slipped into a state of mind-numbing bliss, letting Edward hold her a way Klaus never had. She didn't know how long the were out there, but she knew it had been a while.

They finally sat down at the bar again and Hermione felt herself enjoying the evening although she had been certain she wouldn't- not so soon after her break-up. With Edward though, it seemed hard not to enjoy herself. He was charming, funny, witty and intelligent. And interested in her. They flirted outrageously for a while until someone- it appeared to be one of the wizard-bouncers – came over and told Edward that Blaise was leaving and wanted him to go with him to check out another club down the road, possible competition for their club.

Edward looked at her apologetically, looking reluctant to leave. "So, Hermione, that was a lot of fun. Would you be willing to go on a date with me sometime? I understand if you don't…" he added quickly.

Hermione smiled at him reassuringly. "No, that was great. Do you know what a mobile phone is?" She asked, hoping he might have one if he had knowledge of muggle contraptions.

He nodded. "Actually, I'm a muggle born, and I have one myself. Could I have your number?"

She wrote it out on his hand in pen, and he gave her a kiss on the cheek before turning and leaving. Checking her watch, Hermione saw it was only twelve- she still had an hour before she could leave. She scowled and tried to suppress the memories of Klaus that were coming up again now that Edward was gone. She grabbed the absinthe bottle again and poured herself a shot, sculling it down and feeling it burn her throat. Immediately she felt lighter, and she poured another shot for herself, thoughts of Klaus almost completely forgotten.

"Erm… excuse me?" A nervous female voice sounded beside her. Hermione put down her shot glass in annoyance and turned to see who had interrupted her. A pale, petite girl about her age stood there, long straight brown hair falling down her back. Her large chocolate eyes were menacingly sweet, standing out on her heart shaped face, she had prominent cheekbones, and her lips were enticingly full. She wore a simple short strapless midnight blue dress.

"Yes?" Hermione replied, trying to be polite.

The girl sat down beside her. "My name is Bella, Bella Swan. The boy you were just talking to – he was Edward, right?" She paused to look at Hermione, and Hermione nodded in confirmation. "Well, he's my cousin and I promised him I'd have a look at his new club… do you know where he went?"

"He went with Blaise to check out another club down the street. Anyway, my name is Hermione Granger. It's nice to meet you." She held out her hand. Bella grabbed it, and as she did, a shock of pleasure went through Hermione. She heard Bella gasp, and they both pulled back their hands quickly. They fell into awkward silence.

"So… may I have some of that?" Bella asked after a moment, gesturing to the absinthe. Hermione giggled and nodded, waving at her to go ahead. "Sure, sure. Careful the stuff is strong." She warned her. It was a surprise, though, the girl hadn't looked like much of a drinker.

Bella sculled the shot and grimaced, the exhaled slowly. "You weren't kidding…"

Hermione chuckled and poured herself some, sculling as well. "Yeah, well-" hic "if I was k-" hic "kidding, you'd be laughing. Because I" she stopped and pointed to herself for emphasise, "am a punny ferson. I mean funny person." She giggled.

Bella laughed, amused. "Slow down! How much have you had already?"

Hermione pouted, only making Bella laugh more. "I've only had a teensy- wincey bit. Tiny bit." She muttered, poking her tongue out at the girl and sculling another shot.

Bella shook her head. "For your sake, I think I'll finish off the bottle. The hang-over you'll have tomorrow will be awful, but I think you'll be glad knowing it could've been worse. That is, if you even remember this." Hermione huffed, but allowed her to take the bottle and shot glass.

Bella finished off the bottle in shots, almost completely drunk by the fourth shot. She moaned. "I-I… I just want to forget him…" she whispered to Hermione, who nodded understanding.

"Some bastard cheated on you too, huh?" Hermione slurred, watching the girls face for her reaction. Bella winced and shook her head.

"Something like that…" She replied quietly, taking another shot and then giggling. "What about you?"

"I found my ex in bed. With another man." Hermione replied bitterly. Bella gasped.

"Wow. That…that sucks." She frowned into space. "Ah well. Who needs men?"

Hermione grinned. "Not us, that's for sure."

Bella grinned back and giggled. "H-hey, look- I see a tiny fat unicorn on your shoulder." Hermione looked around, but instead of seeing a dragon, a fat little man sat there, grinning deviously. "Hermione… Hermioooone!" He called in a sing-song voice.

Bella laughed, and without warning, grabbed Hermione's face in her hand and drew the other girl into a passionate kiss. Hermione, weakened from the alcohol, only mumbled "What the fu-" Before Bella forced her tongue into her mouth, making Hermione to moan in pleasure.

Unwanted images of Klaus formed in her head, and she was about to pull back, but the little man on her shoulder started talking to her again, in a strange, squeaky drawl. "Now Hermione, that prat cheated on you. Be a vixen for once- prove them all wrong. Show that little-miss-bookworm-prude can be exciting." He grinned malevolently. "Do it to show how much he doesn't mean to yoooooou."

He laughed and Hermione nodded at him, feeling like her sole existence depended on that creatures' approval, and silently agreeing with the small man words as well. She could forget about Klaus, just the way he forgot about her. She stumbled off the bar stool and stood up, wrapping her arms around Bella's waist to make her stand up too. "Want to dance?" She asked.

The girl nodded, and then glared at the little man on Hermione's shoulder. "Stupid unicorn, I am not a lesbian!" She hissed at him. He simply raised an eyebrow, a knowing smile on his face.

"Ignore him…" Hermione murmured, pulling her onto the dance floor. The crowd of people dancing around them forced them closer together, and they moved to the music, running their hands up and down each others bodies, trying to get as close as possible. Hermione's breathe hitched when Bella cupped her breast and grabbed her ass, winking at her slyly.

After a few dances, they were making their way back to the bar when Hermione suddenly took a detour and turned to the bathrooms, pulling Bella with her. "Hermione…?" Bella looked at her inquisitively.

(**a/n:** Ok, Explicit lesbian sex below. Don't say I didn't warn you.)

Hermione grinned at her and pulled her into the girls bathroom, locking the muggle lock behind her. Bella smiled back and shoved Hermione so that her back was pressed against the door, kissing her roughly. Hermione exhaled shakily as Bella kissed her collar bone and checked her muggle watch, light-headed from the alcohol and lust. "Five…" she gasped as Bella bit down on the sensitive skin on hear neck, "f-five minutes til I leave… Don't stop."

Bella had stopped her ministrations to look at her curiously. Hermione closed her eyes and leaned back, pulling the girl into a hug. "Come with me…" She asked in a seductive whisper next to Bella's ear, nibbling it. Bella nodded, watching with fascination as the whole room spinned but Hermione stayed still. 

Bella reached behind her and unhooked her bra at the back, letting her hands travel down Hermione's body. She tugged down at the mini-skirt the girl wore.  
A gentle tug at their navels and a dizzy sensation took hold of them, and Hermione only just managed to unlock the bathroom door before it faded out of few to be replaced with the spare room Hermione was staying in. The room was still spinning as Bella took control, aggressive even though she was the same height as Hermione.

She backed her into the wall, shoving her against it hard, and continued to violate her harshly. This time she managed to completely remove the black mini-skirt Hermione wore, as Hermione kicked off her shoes. Bella took her own off, chucking them carelessly to the ground, and was caught off guard when Hermione turned the tables on her and pushed her against the wall, jerking with clumsy fingers at her short dark blue dress. In seconds she had it off, leaving Bella standing before her in her underwear. It became some kind of competition to see who could get the others clothes off first, using devious means of distraction.

Hermione attacked Bella's neck with her lips, putting her arms behind Bella's back and snapping her bra, as Bella grasped at her top, then let Hermione pull it off herself. Hermione grinned at her and easily pulled the bra off the girl, fondling her breasts as the bra fell forgotten to the ground. She reached lower and grabbed her panties, pulling them down her thighs and stopping as Bella stepped out of them, then she pushed the naked girl back against the wall, feeling her bare skin beneath her finger tips.. Bella moaned and pushed Hermione off her, then shoved the girl onto the luxurious double bed, straddling her.

She ran her hands up and down her sides, pausing to take of Hermione's bra and then yanking off her panties. She felt Hermione writhing in anticipation beneath her, and she moved back up to cup her face and kiss her forcefully. Hermione responded by pulling the girl down on her, wrapping one of her legs over the other girls and revelling the feeling of skin on skin. They moved together, legs tangling, their tongues in a fierce battle for dominance.

Bella suddenly jerked back, glaring at Hermione as she shifted underneath her. "I'm not a lesbian…" She muttered angrily, pushing Hermione further back into the mattress, and digging her nails into her skin. 

Hermione winced at the pain, her head spinning as she tried to comprehend what Bella had said, but she stopped concentrating as Bella starting kissing down her neck, licking and nibbling as she went, her hands gripping Hermione's ass. She kissed down her breasts, moving one hand to cup one of them, and moved her mouth to the other one to suck on her nipple, biting down gently. Hermione gasped and writhed in pleasure and pain, holding Bella tightly against her. "Oh…" She moaned, grinding her hips against the other girls'.

Bella smirked and continued down, kissing and licking slowly. She reached Hermione's creamy thighs and grinned at her deviously, noticing the wand on the bedside table. She reached over, and after some concentration- it took her longer than it could have because of her drunken state- conjured two pairs of hand-cuffs, then cuffed Hermione's wrists to the metal patterns at the head of the bed. Hermione tugged at the cuff's to no avail, moaning as Bella clutched her to her and kissed her hard.

One of Bella's hands gripped Hermione's waist, and the other travelled sensually down her side, stopping to press gently between her thighs, feeling the wetness.

Hermione looked at her lustfully, eyeing her petite waist and full breasts. "You're beautiful," she sighed huskily, her eyes unfocused and her words slightly slurred.

Bella didn't reply, instead watched Hermione's face as she moved her hand. Hermione felt a finger enter her and let out a loud unrestrained moan. "Oh god…!" She arched her back and Bella teasingly withdrew her hand. "Beg me." She smirked, sliding her finger back in to her incredibly slow.

Hermione whimpered. "Please… fuck me!" She yelled, bucking her hips to meet Bella's motions as she slowly entered her with one finger. "Harder! Faster!"

Bella giggled, a sly, devilish look appearing on her face. "Well," she replied, her voice husky with desire, "if you insist…" Without warning she roughly shoved three fingers in Hermione's pussy, smiling sadistically.

Hermione's gasped in pain, arching to meet the harsh movements. Her hips bucked, moving up and down in time to Bella's rough motions as she slid her fingers in and out, thrusting faster and harder, not caring and Hermione's sharp intakes. "Oh… oh god, yes…" She moaned. Bella, smiling as she felt Hermione tighten around her fingers, thrusted into her harder, violently. With a last shudder, Hermione climaxed and came. Bella's violence had left her bleeding slightly, but she didn't care. They lay panting for a while, relaxing into comfortable silence. Finally Bella grabbed the wand on the side table and unlocked the handcuffs, tossing them to the floor.

She rolled her and Hermione over, so Hermione was on top of her. Hermione's head spun and she straddled Bella slowly. She gestured to the handcuffs. "You…?" 

Bella shook her head. "No… I want you too…" she motioned to her pussy and licked her lips. Hermione was confused for a moment, but then realised what the girl meant. "Oh, right." She complied, her words slurred.

She copied Bella's actions from earlier, licking and nibbling on her neck, and working her way down. Her hands explored the girl's body gently, cupping her breasts before sliding her hands behind her back. She kissed between her breasts, and then sucked on one as Bella arched into her, biting her lip to stop herself from moaning. 

Hermione went back up to her face, kissing her gently on the lips and then moving to bite down hard on Bella's shoulder. Bella cried out, and Hermione kissed it softly, sucking the blood she'd drawn. Bella pushed Hermione's head down her body further, reminding her what she was doing. Hermione muttered an incoherent apology, and went straight to the pale girls' thighs, kissing and licking her way up them.

She stopped short just before her pussy, which was wet with desire, licking closely to it but never at it. Bella moaned, clutching the sheets tensely, before grabbing Hermione's head by her hair and violently shoving it between her thighs to her pussy. "Please…" she moaned. Hermione obliged, slipping her tongue out and licking Bella's entrance. Bella moaned in ecstasy, her grip on Hermione's head tightening as she arched her back and pushed the girl harder to her. "Harder…" She gasped, spreading her legs wider. She shoved Hermione's head against her hard, hurting her.

Hermione fingered her clit, and drove her tongue into the girl, making Bella scream and orgasm. She licked her faster, hearing Bella's breath hitch. Finally, with a last violent shove at Hermione's head, Bella came. Gently she brought Hermione back up to lie beside her, and they lay in silence, panting. Getting underneath the covers they fell back against the pillows, worn out from a night of drinking, dancing and sex, exhausted they fell asleep. 


	3. Moving on

(a/n: No more warnings. By now it's pretty obvious how graphic this fic is. So… on with the story.)

Chapter Three

Hermione drowsily woke up to find the bright light of day streaming in, and a possessive arm snaked around her waist. She checked her muggle clock and almost screamed – it was almost mid day - jolting and sitting up quickly, but then lying back down, grimacing and holding her head. The effects of last nights alcohol took place in the meanest hang-over she had ever had. Her last memory of the night before was giving Edward Cullen her number before he left.

She then remembered the arm around her. 'Oh god… who did I sleep with?' Images of old perverted men appeared in her head, making her shudder. She had only ever slept with two people in her life- Victor Krum and Klaus. She hesitated and slowly turned to face the warm body next to her. Shock and surprise flooded her features as she saw a pretty brunette asleep beside her.

Immediately Hermione went into panic mode, cursing her pounding head. 'Oh god- no, I wouldn't have slept with a girl! Maybe… maybe I made friends with her while I was drunk, and she needed a place to stay the night. I was just helping her out by bringing her back here…' She lifted the covers, but was horrified to fine them both completely stark naked. She turned bright red as she saw the girls full breasts pressed against her side as the unconscious girl snuggled closer to Hermione, wiggling around and kicking her leg over hers'. Hermione stiffened and didn't breathe for several seconds.

What would Ginny say? Draco never let this go! And- and Klaus… 'Is with Harry.' A shrill voice in her head reminded her.

Refusing to think of the boy Hermione concentrated on remembering last night's events. Little by little it came back to her- drinking more, meeting the girl beside her. 'Bella,' Hermione recalled, thinking to herself. Memories slowly came back to her, not all connected, but in flashes that made sense even with some things missing. She remembered dancing- not certain how long she had been on the floor for- and then kissing Bella in the bathrooms.

Her thoughts were interrupted by Bella's mumbling. For a moment Hermione thought the girl had woken, but instead she seemed to be talking in her sleep. "Mine…" she mumbled, pulling Hermione tighter against her. "… no more… silly, that's a _rainbow_ unicorn…' Hermione chuckled lightly.

Concentrating harder she remembered bringing the girl back to her room, and blushed as she remembered what they had done together. Just then Bella stirred and stretched, sitting up slowly with half-lidded eyes, looking around the room. "Where am I…?" Her eyes stopped at Hermione and widened in sickening realization. She looked at herself, then at Hermione, and then practically leapt from the bed, gathering her clothes - discarded the night before on the floor.

She changed quickly, then tried unsuccessfully to apparate. A blush wound its way onto her face, and she glanced at Hermione, who sat in the bed watching her with an equally horrified look on her face. "Erm- Hermione, I think it was-" she cleared her throat nervously and looked away. "I'm guessing there are wards placed on this place, so could you maybe, um, tell me how to get out of here?"

Hermione looked away from her. "Right, sorry. Um, if you go out of this room, turn left and keep walking forward, you'll get to a grand staircase. Walk down that and you'll see some big double-doors. Walk out of those and you'll be out of the house, where you should be able to apparate… or, if you want, I could take you to fireplace and you could use floo-powder…"

The girl shook her head, stricken. "N-no no, it's fine, really. I-I'll just go out the way you said." She stuttered, backing towards the door and then rushing out of the room.

Hermione groaned. A one night stand with a girl was the last thing she'd expected to happen last night.

"Terrific way to start the day," she muttered sarcastically to herself, closing her eyes again in hopes of sleeping off the hang-over.

- - -

Bella's run slowed into a walk down the long hallway, passing magnificent rooms in awe. The house- 'No, it must be a mansion,' she corrected herself, was gorgeous. A bit too much for her- personally she preferred quaint, average sized houses, making up for in comfort what they lacked in size- but even she could see how brilliant the place was.

"You there! Stop!" She halted and turned around, facing a blonde wizard she recognized as Draco Malfoy- one of the richest and most powerful men in the wizarding world. He had his wand pointed at her and was looking her over suspiciously. She gulped. "I don't know how you got in here, but I want an explanation. Who are you and what are you doing in my house?" He hissed angrily, demanding an answer.

She shifted uncomfortably, remembering last nights activities, and reminding herself never to drink that much again. "L-last night I came back here with Hermione… Granger."

Draco frowned. "What do you mean?"

She coughed, trying to hint without just bluntly saying it. "We… were um, oh god… together." She let out staring at her shoes as she turned red.

Draco's eyes widened in surprise, and for a moment, he did nothing but stare at her. Finally he let out a chuckle and lowered his wand. "I see. Sorry about that then."

Bella nodded, not taking her eyes off her shoes. "I was just leaving though, so, sorry to bother you…"

Draco shook his head. "It's fine." He gave her a charming grin. "Allow me to walk you to the door then."

He walked her down the staircase and through the main entrance, walking her outside through the door. "This is it then. Maybe I'll see you around again, if you come back to err…" he smirked slyly. "Visit Hermione."

"I don't think I will be. Again, sorry for intruding. Bye!" She was gone in a second.

Draco smirked at the empty space she'd just been standing in, closing the door and making his way up the stairs. Today was proving to be very, very interesting. Who knew Hermione Granger, prude extraordinaire, experimented?

- - -

"Hermione! Time to get up…" The curtains were drawn open wider than they had already been.

Hermione turned over on her stomach, getting a face-full of pillow. "No. Go away." She said into it childishly.

Ginny tapped her foot for a moment, then scooped up the clothes scattered across the floor and handed them to the house-elf next to her. "Okay, if she doesn't get up in half an hour…" She raised her voice so that Hermione heard her loud and clear, "pour water on her and take away the sheets." Her voice went back to normal as she gave the clothes to the house-elf. "Also, have these washed and bring them back here. You may go." The creature nodded and disappeared.

Ginny turned back to Hermione. "Half an hour…" she reminded her in a sickly sweet, sing-song voice, then walking out of the room.

Hermione groaned again and got up. No way was she having cold water splashed on her. After a short shower and quickly getting changed, she met Ginny in the lounge. Ginny seemed to be in a deep conversation with Draco. Hermione cleared her throat awkwardly, and the two turned to her.

"So… was there something you wanted to do today, Ginny?" Hermione asked. She was avoiding talking to either of them about what had happened last night – with any luck, no one would ever know.

Ginny nodded affirmative. "I was going to help you go over to the apartment and get your things, remember?"

Hermione vaguely remembered her mentioning it.

At least she wasn't thinking of Klaus anymore- although suppressing it with memories of having sex with a girl wasn't quite the way she had hoped to forget it. "Shall we leave now?"

Ginny nodded again. "I grabbed a few suit-cases for you to put things in… I figure that we could just pack them and charm them smaller. We can floo there now, if you like. N one will be there… Klaus moved in with Harry last night." She finished softly, watching Hermione's face. Hermione simply looked confused and headed over to the fireplace. "Okay. See you over there in a moment then."

She grabbed a hand-full of floo-powder, and just before she left, Draco spoke up for the first time that morning. "Try not to seduce Ginny while you're gone." He grinned at her knowingly, winking. She scowled back at him, and in a flash of green flames disappeared.

- - -

It took Hermione another two days to completely get over Klaus, making her realize that her whole relationship with him had been a façade. She just didn't care so much anymore. It surprised her that she could get over him so easily, though. Like he hadn't ever mattered to her. 'And maybe,' she mused, 'he hadn't.' Perhaps the only reason she had been so hooked on him in the first place had been because she'd wanted someone to want her- so much so that anyone could do.

She found that as she slowly forgot about him, her thoughts were plagued more and more by the beautiful brunette, Bella Swan. It was strange, but their night together had been the best sex she'd ever had. It scared her a little, knowing that she'd never thought she was a lesbian, and now after a one night stand with a girl, she'd rather have sex with her than any male model. It was strange. But Bella had been so passionate, not scared to break her like Victor had been, or unskilled, like Klaus was. And the way they had moved together… Hermione shivered.

At the moment she was walking to a small muggle library with her revised edition of Hogwarts: A History, charmed to look like a muggle fiction book to muggles, hoping to escape Draco and Ginny. Draco had been teasing her none-stop, with unending sexual-innuendos in every sentence, all of them hinting about her being bi, or the occasional – "Klaus was so bad in the sack he turned you into a lesbian?"

Ginny however, who was fine with Hermione's sexual preference whatever it may be, had gone a different way about taking it- by trying to set Hermione up on as many blind dates with lesbians as she could. Hermione had turned down every offer by the red-head, telling her to drop it- that she wasn't a lesbian, that night had been a one off never to be repeated as she vowed never to drink that much again.

"Sure," Ginny had waved her off. "So anyway, I heard Padma Patil is available and looking. Remember her, the ravenclaw? She came out on our last year of Hogwarts."

Hermione, exasperated, had finally managed to escape the couple when Draco left for work and Ginny went to see him off. She had left a simple note telling them tat she'd gone out and not to expect her anytime soon.

She turned the corner of the street and approached a modest looking building, worn with obvious age, and went through the double doors - into her own private sanctuary. Immediately she weaved through the isles of books to a secluded area she knew of at the back, isolated from the rest of the library by two towering shelves on religion. It had a small desk with two chairs and a bean bag in the corner, with a large window and window seat looking out into a secluded part of muggle London.

She walked a bit faster, the idea of her special place filling her with excitement. She hadn't been there for a while – a couple of months, she supposed – because of how hectic work had been. She saw the shelves on religion, turned the corner into the space and- someone was already there, sitting at the little table. It was the very girl whose existence had been haunting her past few days- Bella Swan.

Hermione blushed profusely as the girl looked up from her book and stared back in surprise. "S-sorry, I thought no one would be here… I'll just g-"

"Wait!" The girl interrupted, making Hermione halt the steps she'd been taking backwards. Bella looked around uncomfortably, before nodding to the chair opposite her. "You can stay if you want…"

"Thanks," Hermione replied shyly, walking over and sitting down opposite her. She spent the next few minutes trying to concentrate on the book she had brought with her, but gave up after she re-read the second line for the fourth time. Closing it and placing it on the table gently, she turned to Bella. "So…" she raked her brain for something to say as Bella glanced up at her, her chocolate eyes nervously meeting Hermione's caramel ones. "What book are you reading?"

Bella smiled. "I'm re-reading Pride and Prejudice." Beside her Hermione saw a two other books- one was Romeo and Juliet, the other was Wuthering heights. She smiled back knowingly. "So you're a fan of classic muggle romances?" She asked.

Bella nodded. "I guess I'm a romantic at heart. They are my favourite books, but to be honest I read almost everything. I just love reading."

"Really?" Hermione asked, excited about this enough to forget the reason Bella had been causing her discomfort- their night together. "Me too! And Pride and Prejudice has to be the greatest love story of all time. Isn't Darcy amazing?" She sighed happily as the other girl nodded.

"He's everything you could want in a guy," Bella agreed, smiling back.

"So, do you usually come here?" Hermione asked curiously.

Bella nodded. "Most of the time, when I'm not working. It's a great place to escape to, you know? To just get away from everything…" She looked out the window wistfully. "It's really peaceful."

"Same. That's why I came here today… sorry for asking, but out of curiosity, where do you work?"

"It's fine. I'm training to be a medi-witch at St Mungo's, I want to help people, you know - make a difference. It must be such a great feeling when you save someone's life," Bella replied enthusiastically. "And of course, I know where you work! Your department at the ministry has helped out so many people already, like the potion your department made that made the drinker able to be unaffected by the poison from filghato toads. That poison was able to cure someone near death, and we found that when patients were immune to the poison, it could be mixed with other things to make some brilliant remedies!" Bella raved.

Hermione grinned at the compliments, waving them off. "I remember that one. That potion was a discovery of Draco's, I didn't really do much… just stopped some of the nasty side-effects it used to have." She hesitated, and then continued. "Bella… I was wondering… why are you so aggressive in bed…?" She asked, finally voicing the question that'd been on her mind since the morning after when they'd woken up together.

Bella's eyes immediately darkened and she looked away, glaring out the window. "I'm not a lesbian." She muttered angrily.

"I-I know, sor-"

"I'll tell you, since I never meant to hurt you… when we, you know." Bella stared at her coldly. "About a year ago, my ex-best friend, Jessica Stanley, told me that she was a lesbian. I was fine with it, I asked her a few things, and she told me that she didn't have a girlfriend, but she'd _been with_ girls before. Things were fine, although I noticed that Jessica seemed to flirt with me occasionally. I laughed it off and flirted back as a joke. Then one night, we got invited to a party. I got a little tipsy, and she got really drunk. I was kissing some guy in a corner when she came over and pulled me away from him, and gave me a glass of what looked like water. She said…she said that it would sober be up a little." Bella felt tears sting her eyes.

"But it didn't. It made my muscles relax so completely that I could barely move. Then she dragged me out of the party and into…" Bella paused, trembling. "Into this disgusting, empty alley way. She ripped off my clothes, yelling at me that I was a whore, that I had led her on." Tears ran down her face as she continued her story.

"She…she r-raped me, over and over, until I was bleeding and begging for her to stop. When she finally finished with me, she just got dressed and left. She left me there, alone and naked, in so much pain I thought I'd die." Bella shuddered.

"Lucky for me, Edward – my cousin - found me. He brought me back to his house and took care of me." She smiled softly. "We told the ministry what had happened, and after a long court case, Jessica got sentenced to two years in Askaban. When she gets out, I have a restraining-order-charm against her so that she can't come within ten meters of me or she'll be instantly petrified. And…" Bella paused awkwardly. "I'm not a lesbian, you're the only girl I've been with… since that happened to me… and that was how I knew what to do when we were together… To answer your question though, I think I was aggressive because, in some way, I was protecting myself. If I was in charge, I couldn't get hurt, if you know what I mean."

Hermione looked at the girl sadly. What she had been through must have been so traumatizing… Bella stood up abruptly, looking at the watch on her wrist. "Sorry, I've got to go, but it was nice talking to you. Maybe… maybe we'll see each other around. Or meet up here again sometime." She gathered her books, and with a check to see that no muggles were around, quickly apparated.

"I hope you'll be okay…" Hermione whispered to the empty space the girl had just been in.

- - -

Hermione was walking back from the library when her phone buzzed, alerting her to a new message. She opened her inbox and saw an unidentified number, and she quickly read the text.

A small smile wound it's way onto her face as she read. 'Hey there. It's Edward Cullen here, hope you remember me – from the night at the club? I was wondering if you'd like to go out for dinner some time…'

Hermione grinned, texting back eagerly. 'Sure. When, what time, and where?' She sent back, hoping she didn't sound too eager.

The reply was quick. 'Tonight, eight, and at the new restaurant that was just opened in Diagon alley, the twilight restaurant. Meet me out side it?'

Hermione beamed. 'I can't wait.' She sent back, glancing around the deserted street with caution before apparating to the Malfoy manor to tell Ginny the news.

- - -

"Oh my god!" Ginny squealed, jumping up and down in excitement. "I've heard about that restaurant! It's so exclusive! Did you know that unless you're really high in society you have to go on a waiting list just to get a table?"

Hermione rolled her eyes at the red-heads antics. "Hermione! What are you going to wear?" Ginny continued, oblivious.

Hermione frowned. "I don't know… I suppose I'll just pick out a dress later." She shrugged.

Ginny snorted. "I don't think so. This place is high class, 'Mione." She turned around and went through the clothes they'd brought back from Hermione's apartment, and the clothes they'd bought together on their shopping spree. "Oh my god…" Ginny gasped, grabbing a black dress and holding it out to Hermione. "You have to wear this."

The dress was simple, with thin straps that cris-crossed at the back once, and left a lot of her skin at the back bare. It fell elegantly to being just below knee-length, the epitome of sophistication.

"Well?" Ginny demanded impatiently. "Put it on." She threw the dress to Hermione, pushing her gently towards the bathroom.

A few moments later Hermione came out with dress on.

"You look gorgeous!" Ginny gushed. She put her hands on her hips. "I'm a genious- now all we have to do is hair and make-up."

She grinned triumphantly, pushing Hermione into a chair in front of the vanity mirror, despite Hermione's protests.

- - -

Hermione apparated outside of the restaurant, looking around for Edward. Her hair was pulled back loosely into bun, parts of her hair left out to frame her face. Her make-up hand been simple- a bit of lip gloss, a touch of eye-shadow, and some mascara. She carried with her a small handbag that had her mobile phone and her wand in it, just for emergencies.

She spotted Edward a few meters outside the restaurant, wearing a black tux and peering around anxiously for her. He saw her approaching and shot her a disarmingly charming grin. "You look gorgeous," He told her, looking her up and down. Noticing her blush he grinned. "I'm glad we get to meet again while you're not under the influence of alcohol."

She scoffed and hit him jokingly on the shoulder. "I resent that," she chuckled, as he linked arms with her and lead her into the building. A man behind a podium beckoned them over. "Name?" He asked, his eyes on the list before them.

"A reservation for two under Edward Cullen." Edward replied, wrapping his arm around Hermione's waist.

"Ah yes, welcome Mr Cullen." The man replied. "Please follow me to your table." He showed them through a door and into a beautiful restaurant, decorated finely down to the last touch. The man brought the two to a table secluded from most of the other guests by the large plant it had beside it, hiding them from view. "A waiter will be with you in a moment. Here are your menu's." He handed them the elegant menu's, before bowing low. "I hope you enjoy your meal." He said, and then scuttered off.

Hermione looked at the menu and chose what she was having, then put it down and turned to the boy across from her. "So, what're you having?" Edward asked curiously.

"Garden salad with chicken. You?"

"Lobster and salad." He said, putting his menu down next to her's. He glanced around, and then smiled shyly at her. "This restaurant is called twilight, remember? Look up."

Hermione did so and gasped in delight. The ceiling had been charmed like that of the ceiling of Hogwarts great hall- to show the sky. Only the ceiling in this restaurant had the sky as it looked at twilight. "It's amazing," she grinned. "Thank you so much for taking me here."

Edward tutted lightly. "Thank me later- you don't know if you'll enjoy tonight with me yet," he laughed. "And yeah, it is amazing. I'm glad I came here with you- I knew you'd appreciate the worth of something like that." He reached over and took her hand in his, giving it a gentle squeeze.

A sharp crack! Sounded beside them, a house-elf standing there. "Are Mr and missus ready to order?" It asked politely. Edward told it their choices. "And the finest bottles of wine and champagne that you have," he added.

The elf nodded, disappearing for a moment and then reappearing with two bottles in hand. "Your meals will be here shortly." It squeaked, disappearing again with a snap of it's fingers.

Edward took her glass. "Wine or bubbles?" He asked.

"Oh, thank you. Wine, I think." Edward nodded and poured her and himself some, placing the bottle back on the table and watching her intently as she took a sip. Her eyes widened in pleasant surprise. "This… this is wonderful!" She told him enthusiastically. Edward laughed and took a sip of his. "I should hope so," he replied.

"So, Edward, what exactly do you do? For a living, I mean." Hermione asked bluntly.

Edward looked amused by her forwardness. "Other than running a few clubs with Blaise? I help some friends over at St. Mungo's from time to time, but other than that, nothing, really. You may have noticed, but I'm not really lacking in money. I inherited all of my fathers things last year." He told her.

"It sounds fun. Being able to do what you want when you want… and dine at places like this," Hermione waved her arm around the room.

Edward nodded with a smile. "It is. I know that it would be better to get a job at the ministry, but what's the point if you don't enjoy it? Other than your department and the department of mysteries, nothing at the ministry really fascinates me." He told her seriously.

"That's good, I agree - You shouldn't do a job if you don't like it, otherwise you don't do all that you can for that job. And working there would probably eventually drive you mad. Anyway, how was the 'enemy' club you and Blaise checked out? Tough competition?"

Edward snorted. "Hardly. Our clubs beat their's by miles in comparison." He told her, just as their food arrived. Hermione – who had been sipping her wine as he talked – ate it thankfully.

They sat together in comfortable silence as they ate their meal and Hermione soon finished off her glass of wine, pouring herself some more.

"So," Edward started, leaning back a little in his chair, looking content, "how has your day been?"

"…good. Eventful." Hermione muttered back.

Edward raised an eyebrow teasingly. "I feel so lucky to have such an articulate lady with me." He joked, grinning as Hermione laughed.

"So you should be." Hermione flirted back a little, finishing her glass of wine and moving onto the bottle of bubble.

Edward noticed this, he himself only on his first glass. "Woah, slow down girl!" he laughed at her as she sulked when he took the champagne from her. "Fine, but just a little." Edward told her. "I am to easy to take advantage of. You simply must stop using your feminine wiles to manipulate me." He teased. "It's very hard to say no to someone so beautiful and intelligent."

Hermione blushed and took the glass of bubble he had poured for her, gulping half of it down easily, and wondering when it was she'd starting this habit of drinking too much too fast. "Thank you," She murmured. "You don't clean up half so bad yourself."

He shrugged, trying to look nonchalant about her compliment but failing utterly, a look of pleasure at her words on his face. He summoned their waiter again. "We'd like to take a look at the desert menu, please?"

The evening went on, the two sharing a dessert and finishing off the champagne together, talking and laughing loudly. After a while of this, Edward paid the bill and walked her out.

"I had a great time tonight," Edward her, staring at her lips as he talked.

"Me too." Hermione murmured as Edward leaned in and kissed her softly. He was a great kisser, she noticed, 'but not as good as Bella…' she was shocked at this realization, and kissed Edward harder, as if trying to prove something to herself. Edward wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her against him tightly. "Mmm…"

They drew apart, their breathing shallow. Edward smiled at her. "Would you… would you be interested in going to the club- the one we met at- this Thursday, in three days?" He looked at her nervously.

Hermione nodded, thinking maybe more time with him would make her forget Bella. Edward reluctantly let go of her. "I'll meet you outside the club at nine."

With a last quick peck on her lips, he apparated. Hermione apparated outside the Malfoy manor a moment later.

The second she stepped inside Ginny was beside her bombarding her with questions. "How was it? Was her a gentleman? Oh, he's sooo handsome!"

Hermione grinned back, glad Ginny would now stop trying to set her up with girls. "It was great, Gin. He asked me to go with him on Thursday to the club!"

Ginny squealed at hugged her. "That's great 'Mione!" She smirked evilly. "I'll have you looking amazing at that, too!" She told her, grinning.

Hermione just sighed and walked into her bedroom, falling back onto her bed. It had been an interesting night.

- - -

The next day Hermione, hair pulled back hap-hazardly from her face in a loose pony tail, wearing sweats and a comfortable sweater, walked to the muggle library again, this time with no book.

She turned into her alcove, a little disappointed to find it empty. She grabbed a book with the works of Shakespeare in it and sat down, immersing herself in it. Half an hour later she heard the chair opposite her pulled out, and she looked up to see Bella sitting down opposite her. "Hey," she greeted.

Bella smiled. "Hi."

They sat together in comfortable silence only broken by the turning of pages. Finally Bella spoke up. "So… how's your work?"

Hermione looked up from A midsummer nights dream. "At the moment I've got a week of from work to relax." She told her.

Bella nodded, looking sympathetic. "To help you get over Klaus, right?" She asked.

Hermione nodded. "It's strange though… I got over him so fast. I don't even care anymore." She confided.

"That's good. He's not worth it your tears, anyway." Bella told her.

Hermione nodded awkwardly and changed the subject. "So… what are you reading- or rereading- at the moment?"

Bella looked pleased and held up her book for Hermione to see. "Wuthering heights. I've read it so many times, but something about it keeps bringing me back."

"Why?" Hermione asked, having read the book herself. "It's pretty good, I suppose, but I don't see how Cathy and Heathcliffe can be up there with some of the greatest couples of time- like Romeo and Juliet, for example. I mean, it's not a love story, it's a hate story."

Bella nodded. "I know. But even though they're horrible, conniving, evil… I think what I like about it is how inevitable their love is…" She sighed.

Hermione looked pensive. "I suppose…" She said after a while. "That's true."

Bella nodded, distracted, and checked her watch. "Lunch." She announced, standing. She looked at Hermione, fidgeting. "Would you like to come and get coffee or something with me…? She asked quietly.

Hermione smiled at her and nodded, getting up herself and linking arms with her. "Lets go."

- - -

Thursday afternoon came and Hermione, who had been spending almost all of her time with Bella, waved goodbye to her and headed back to Malfoy manor, as she'd been doing everyday lately. Bella and her had clicked and, although they disagreed a lot of the time, the two had bonded, meeting up at the library, and going out to lunch together. Sometimes Bella would leave early because of work at St Mungo's, as was the case today. Bella had shyly kissed her on the cheek and left, leaving a dazed Hermione in her wake.

Hermione apparated back to the manor and walked slowly in a blissful state back to her room. Ginny – who had been out at lunch with Draco – nearly ran into her down the hallway.

"Hermione, do you know what the time is!?" She snapped impatiently. "I was getting worried and wondering when you'd be back!" She told her, sounding like an over protective parent.

Hermione checked her watch. "Ginny, I don't know what you're so worked up about, but it's only fifteen past three. Was I supposed to be meeting you for something?" Hermione asked, genuinely confused.

Ginny crossed her arms over her chest, scowling. "You've forgotten already? Merciful Jesus…" The red head muttered under her breath. "What would you do without me, I just don't know."

She pulled Hermione into the spare room, immediately making her way over to the girls closet. "You have a date with Edward tonight, remember!"

Hermione's eyes widened in surprise, and she looked at her sheepishly. "I'd forgotten, actually. But it's fine, Ginny, I don't have to get ready until later- we're meeting outside the club at nine."

Ginny sighed noisily. "Fine, I'll be here to help you get ready at seven. Honestly, I can't believe you forgot… it's going to that muggle library everyday that did it, I swear." Hermione grimaced as she realized the real reason she'd forgotten was that being with Bella had made her forget all about Edward.

"Alright Ginny. Want to play a game of wizard's chess or exploding snap?" Hermione suggested.

Ginny's anger dissolved in an instant. "All right- but if you loose, I get to teach you how to fly!" Hermione gaped in horror.

"Just kidding," Ginny rectified, laughing openly at her face.

They were back to the usual friendly bickering, Hermione still trying her best to beat her at exploding snap- just in case Ginny had meant it.


	4. Wrecked

(a/n: Warning. Violent non-consentual sex (aka rape) and Drug usage below. Magical drugs. Giggle  
Also: Edward and Bella are really OOC. It's on purpose. And Edward is not a vampire.)

Chapter Four

Hermione met Edward outside the club at nine, wearing a red strapless top and a black denim mini-skirt, her hair up in a loose bun. Edward wore casual jeans and a dressy button down white shirt.

The line seemed longer than the last time she'd been there, and the guards at the entrance took one look at Edward and let them both in, Hermione noticed angry scowls and glares once again directed at her.

Edward grabbed her hand and pulled her into the club, through the crowded dance floor and over to the couches – one already occupied by Blaise Zambini the blonde witch clinging to him.

"Edward, you made it. Hermione, nice to see you again." Blaise said, referring to their Hogwarts school days. "Take a seat, please." He said, gesturing to the couch opposite him, which divided from the couch he were sitting on by a small coffee table in between the two couches.

"Hey Blaise." Edward grinned back at him, placing a possessive arm around Hermione's waist as they sat down. "Any drinks for you two?" Blaise asked.

Hermione shook her head, about to politely decline, when Edward spoke up. "I wouldn't mind some firewhisky myself… and Hermione here will have some absinthe…" Edward chuckled, remembering what she'd been drinking when they'd met.

Blaise let out a low whistle. "If you say so. My, I never pictured you to be a drinker, Miss Granger."

Hermione shrugged uncomfortably. "I'm not. Drinking it last time was a one-time thing. So, really, don't worry about getting me anything, thanks."

Blaise laughed, and clicked his fingers. A house-elf appeared and bowed low. "Sir be wantings something?" It asked.

"A martini, two firewhisky's and absinthe." He told it grinning. It nodded and disappeared, reappearing a moment later with the drinks.

Blaise waved it off. "Thank you. You may go now." The house-elf bowed low again and disappeared.

Hermione watched as Blaise and Edward grabbed a firewhisky each, and the blonde witch grabbed the martini.

Noticing her stare Edward laughed. "Go on Hermione, let lose a little. Its on the house, after all. One sip wouldn't hurt…" He urged her, taking a gulp of his own drink.

Hermione winced. "I suppose… a few sips…" She muttered, taking the absinthe and drinking a little.

Edward smiled. "Good girl."

Encouraged, Hermione continued to sip it, feeling awkward and out of place next to the three. Edward and Blaise talked to each other about business, almost completely ignoring the two witches, except for the slight squeeze on her waist Hermione felt from time to time.

"Can you believe it?" Blaise was chuckling, telling Edward about his run-in with another famed club owner. "And then he said…"

Zoning them out Hermione felt her head slowly getting lighter, and she took a last gulp before putting the half finished drink on the small table in front of them. She felt the room spin a little as Blaise finished telling Edward how he had publicly humiliated their enemy. "If only you had been there…" He finished.

Edward laughed. "If only. Knowing you, something in that story was a complete lie or exaggeration." He shook his head.

"You'll never know, will you pretty boy?" Blaise mocked him. He then reached inside his jacket and pulled out a pipe. "Shall we?" He asked, looking around at them, his eyes stopping to linger on Hermione, until Edward pulled her tighter against him, shooting the boy a slight glare.

"Of course, just light the bloody thing." He muttered, passing Blaise a muggle lighter. Blaise lit it and and took a puff, exhaling a puff of smoke that took the colourful form of the outline of a curvacious woman.

Hermione shook her head in disapproval, grabbing her absinthe from the table and chugging the rest of it down quickly.

Blaise grinned and took another few puffs, then passed it over to the blonde witch, who giggled at him and took a puff herself, exhaling smoke that took the form of piles of galleons. Blaise rolled his eyes and sneered, glaring at Edward when he leaned down and whispered loudly to Hermione. "Gold digging whore." Blaise did the finger to him as the blonde exhaled another colourful cloud, this time taking the form of a boat.

She passed the pipe on to Edward, winking at him and leaning lower so he got a shot of her cleavage. Edward ignored this and took a long puff of pipe, nudging Hermione gently and then blowing out smoke in the form of a heart. He took a few more puff's, each time looking more and more relaxed.

"Here 'Mione. You'll like this." He told her, holding it out for her.

Hermione shook her head. Even with all the alcohol, she knew the difference between wrong and right. And just because smoking this was legal, didn't make it right. "No," She murmured, trying to push his hand away.

Edward frowned. "One little puff- it couldn't hurt to try." He told her, still attempting to make her take it.

"I said no!" Hermione told him shrilly, putting her hands on her hips. Blaise snickered at Edward, making Edward glower at Hermione in embarrassment.

He growled at her, growing impatient. In a quick, fluid movement he grabbed her face, forced her mouth open and shoved the pipe in. "Mrmph!" Hermione inhaled, shocked by Edwards treatment. Immediately the mixture of the drug and the alcohol intensified the effects, and Hermione felt the room's colour brighten and things sound clearer. She felt herself go into a blissful state of relaxation.

She took the pipe out and exhaled. The smoke slowly took the form of a bell. Edward looked at it puzzled, then shrugged it off with a quiet "Women."

"Take another puff, Hermione. You like it, don't you? And its not like you're doing it heaps. Go on," Edward urged.

Hermione nodded and took another, longer puff. This time she felt herself go in a state of ecstasy, and a feeling of extreme euphoria went over her. She sighed in pleasure at the mental orgasm, and it slowly became a feeling of excitement- soon replaced by drowsiness.

Edward nodded in approval. "Good girl…" He slurred, pulling her into him. He checked his muggle watch, sighing and standing, pulling Hermione with him. "I know it's only twelve, Blaise, but I better get going. I don't want to worry Bells or take 'Mione here home too late."

Blaise waved him off. "Yeah yeah, your excused." He muttered, distracted by the pretty blonde as she giggled, kissing his neck. "We should do this again some time."

Edward tugged on Hermione's hand, pulling her through the crowd on the dance floor and out of the doors.

"So, that was fun…" Edward said, turning to look at her. Hermione stood there, a glazed look in here eyes as she nodded slowly, a delayed reaction to his question.

"Will you be okay getting home?" He asked, worried.

Hermione giggled. "But of course." She spun around on the pavement and stopped, pointing in the direction she was facing. "Home is that way." She told him, a serious look in here eyes. She marched off in the opposite direction she had come from in the beginning, and Edward grabbed her arm and pulled her back.

"I'm quite sure you apparated here." He told her, slightly tipsy himself but sober enough to know he should make sure she got home safe.

"Did I?" Hermione asked with a frown, her eyes appearing glazed.

Edward sighed. "Alright, I guess you're coming home with me. We'll get you back safely in the morning." Her pressed his lips to her temple in a short, sweet kiss, and then held her to him tightly, apparating them to his home.

Hermione looked at it in awe. "Nice…" she said, looking up at the grand house that rose up – not nearly the size of the Malfoy manor, but still big compared to average houses. Edward slipped his arm around her waist, opening the door and pulling her with him. He closed it shut gently behind him.

They walked up the stairs and down a small hallway, until Edward turned left at the penultimate door. "This is the guest room." He told her softly, looking at her with adoring eyes.

Hermione pouted. "What about your room?" She slurred.

Edward shook his head. "No, you're drunk, and I don't want to take advantage of you." He told her, opening the door to let her in.

Hermione whined childishly. "We don't have to sleep together to _sleep_ together." She told him, hugging him and refusing to let go. Edward sighed and ran a hand through his perfect hair.

"Alright." She let go of him, grabbing his hand instead and grinning.

"I just can't say no to you…" he said, pulling her through a door on the other side of the hallway, and into his room.

It was big, a couch in one corner and a desk in the other, with a large, spacious bed in the middle of the room, dominating the space. Edward had turned from her, his pale skin glowing in the moonlight that shone in through his window, and shrugged off his jacket, throwing it to the couch, then carefully undoing the buttons on his shirt and removing his pants, so he stood there almost naked apart from his boxers.

"Sorry," he said sheepishly, turning back around to find Hermione watching him, her heels kicked off and lying on the floor. "It's a habit. I only sleep in my boxers, so… I'll grab you a top if you want…" He suggested, looking at her dress uncertainly. Her head was spinning and thoughts of Bella were stuck in hear head. The same little man from when she last drank absinthe was on her shoulder again. 'Be with him… he'll make you forget her…" The little fat man whispered, looking like an evil Santa Claus.

Hermione smiled slyly, pulling off her dress in one fluid motion. "That might be more… comfortable."

Edward gulped and turned to his drawers, fumbling and then pulling out a simple tee shirt. He tossed it to her, avoiding her gaze. "Here." She missed it and it fell to the ground.

"Oh well. Guess I'll just sleep in my underwear…" She walked over to Edward, watching him gulp, his already white skin visibly paling. She slowly backed him against the wall and began kissing down his neck. Edward growled as his instincts and the alcohol in him took over, and he turned them around, so he held her against the wall, slamming her against it with intensity that scared Hermione.

"Wait… E-Edward, stop…" He shoved her against the wall harder, trapping her there with his body as she cried out in pain.

He cupped her face as she grimaced. "I warned you… I tried to take this slow… but you were being such a fucking tease…" He whispered next to her ear.

He pulled her into him so her back was slightly off the wall, reached behind her and snapped her bra open, pulling it off her. "Edward stop-" Hermione tried unsuccessfully to push him off her, but he just grabbed both her hands in one of his, holding them above her head and pushing one of his legs between hers.

He leaned down and captured her mouth in a rough kiss, and then turned her around so her back was facing him. Hermione moaned at his aggressiveness. "Edward!" She screamed. He didn't pay attention, grabbing and cupping her breasts with his hand he wasn't using to hold her arms up.

She started panicking, struggling beneath him. He felt her wriggling against him and moaned, stopping her as she felt his hardness against the back of her thigh. "Stop!" She cried in hysterics.

He moved his hand from her breast down, until his thumb hooked over her panties. He yanked it down and then grabbed his boxes, pulling them down in a fluid movement.

He let go of her wrists and grabbed her hips roughly, his fingers digging into them hard enough to bruise. "Stop-" Hermione screamed a final time, her back still to him, as she felt him enter her from behind. She moaned at the pain, stopping her struggle and becoming a sort of rag doll. Edward was grunting heavily behind her, thrusting harder and faster.

"Oh yes… my pretty little whore…" He yelled, gripping her hips tighter as he thrust in and out violently. "So tight… so good…" He ground out, pushing his painfully large cock into her. He shuddered, pulling her to him with one last brutal thrust before he exploded in her, moaning in ecstasy.

He turned her around, kissing her softly on the lips, hard glint in his eyes. He shoved her to her knee's in front of him, turned on when she let out another cry of pain. "Blow me…" He whispered, shoving her face roughly onto his throbbing member. He saw her open her mouth to protest and quickly pushing her onto his dick, moaning with pleasure as she gave up and complied, sucking and licking. He gripped her hair, his whole body jerking violently. He tightened in her mouth, and then suddenly pulled her off him.

"Enough of that," he whispered to her, pulling her up and throwing her onto the bed. "Edward…" she whispered, pained. He straddled her, grinning down at her. "Shh, love…" he grabbed and fondled her breasts roughly, making her wince at the pain. "Please…" She whispered. "Stop…"

He didn't answer, instead pushing her legs apart as she struggled. He went down on her hard, thrusting in. She cried out again, her hips bucking to meet his forced entry. He thrusted violently into her, harder and deeper into her, ignoring her pleads to stop. Gripping her ass he pushed her up sharply, stiffling a groan. He slammed into her, rocking her body violently, making her arch into him and scream in surprise. He released in her, grunting, then got off her and rolled to lie on his back next to her on the bed. They lay panting for a while, and Hermione noticed that she was bleeding from his harshness, the blood staining the sheets.

Edward pulling the covers back and lifting them over the two. He grinned lazily at her scared expression. "Next time lets do a threesome with Blaise, he'd enjoy that." He told her, pulling her to him and wrapping his arms possessively around her waist. "You belong to me," he muttered, nuzzling her neck.

Hermione's head was spinning as she felt the repercussions of the rape had her near fainting. "These violent delights have violent ends," she murmured, before passing out.

- - -

Hermione yawned and stretched, slowly sitting up as she awoke. She couldn't remember anything from the night before after smoking the pipe. She could guess what had happened though, from the throbbing pain between her thighs and the bruises in the form of finger marks on her hips. That, and she was naked. As was Edward, who was still asleep beside her, his legs tangled with hers and his hand loosely wrapped in a possessive gesture around her waist.

She winced as her hang-over set in, getting out of the bed and pulling on a large teeshirt of Edwards she found on the floor. It was too large, coming up to mid-thigh, and making her look small and innocent. She started heading out his bedroom door before a groan from the bed stopped her. "Come back to bed…" Edward muttered, eying her warily. "You don't have work for a while, right? Lets spend the day together in bed. I wouldn't mind a repeat of last night." He grinned smugly at her.

Hermione uncomfortably nodded, her memory of their time together lost. "I'm just going to find a hang-over potion." She told him, her throat dry. He looked her up and down in obvious lust. "Hurry back." He said huskily, closing his eyes again.

She walked out the room into the hallway, barely walking two meters before a hand from the room next to Edwards shot out and grabbed her, pulling her in. The room was a cream colour, looking a lot less expensive than Edwards. A bookshelf lined one wall, a small desk in the corner had paper scattered over it, and a queen sized bed was in the middle of the room, the head of it pushed against the wall.

Hermione had two seconds to let this all sink in before she realized who her captor was in surprise. A sober and angry looking Bella, wearing only her underwear, had her pinned against the wall, glaring viciously at her. Hermione remembered then what Bella had told her- how she was living with her cousin Edward. "Bella," Hermione started, surprise etched into her features. "Wha-?" Bella interrupted her, a bitter tone of resentment in her voice. "You _whore_." She spat out, making Hermione flinch.

Bella leered at her, eying Edwards top and smirking when she ran her hand under it, up Hermione's body, and found her naked. Hermione let out a quiet moan at her touch, shivering as Bella's fingers found her pussy, where she was wet with desire. "Whore…" Bella repeated, feeling how wet she was. She moved her hands back to restraints on Hermione's shoulders, shaking her slightly as she pushed her further against the wall. "Do you know what it was like? Trying to sleep, hearing you and him next to, banging against the wall? Hearing you moan for _him_, cry out for _him_?" She hissed.

Hermione gaped at her friend in surprise. "Huh…? You have a thing for Edward?" She asked, confused. Weren't they cousins? Ew. Bella glared, and then laughed in dark amusement. "Funny. I think it's obvious who I want…" She said. "You were with me only yesterday."

Hermione frowned in confusion, too exhausted and pained from her hangover and the night before to resist Bella's violence. "Bella… what-"

"You know exactly what I'm talking about!" Bella said harshly, slightly hysteric. "We were dating, and you just went behind my back with my own cousin and thought I wouldn't know? You fucking slut!" She yelled.

Hermione's eyes widened. "I thought we were friends! I thought-"

Bella laughed. "So I suppose most friends turn you on like this?" She asked, fingering Hermione's wetness again. Hermione shuddered, finally attempting to get the witch off her. "You're deranged." She said simply, trying to push her off her. "And you're a cheating whore." Bella replied, shoving her roughly to the wall.

Hermione laughed hollow and without feeling. "Believe what you want. Now let me go." She said, trying to stare the girl down. "I don't think so." Bella said coldly, a sneer appearing on her beautiful face. She grabbed her wand from the desk next to her, shoving her leg between Hermione's and effectively trapping her there with her body. Bella quickly spelled the door shut and locked, then cast a silencing spell on the room, making it sound proof.

She grabbed Hermione, pushing her onto the bed and straddling her before she could protest. Bella kissed her hard, then grabbed Edwards top and pulled it off her, throwing it to the floor. "I'll make you forget him," she muttered darkly. "I'll have you screaming my name, begging for more."

Hermione felt invisible ropes binding her wrists and ankles to the bed as she struggled fruitlessly. "Don't struggle," Bella murmured, caressing her face and letting her eyes travel down the naked girl's form. She slowly took of her underwear, chucking them to the floor. Hermione turned away, realizing she was about to be raped by the psychopath. "Look at me," Bella hissed, grabbing her chin and forcing her to look at her. Hermione's eyes slowly went down. 'Am… am I bi?' She wondered, turned on by how beautiful Bella was.

Bella smirked, placing her hand between Hermione's thigh's, feeling her writhe beneath her. "Wet already, you little _whore_?" She whispered viciously, licking her lips and leaning in, kissing down Hermione, sucking her breast and then biting down hard on it. Hermione cried out, arching her back into Bella as pleasure and pain collided. Bella tsked. "Not yet, pet."

Hermione trembled. "Bella, I'm sorry for what Jessica did to you. But this won't solve anything, this wont make you feel any better. Please, let me go." She asked.

Bella's eyes darkened, and she ignored her pleas. "Don't make me gag you," she told her.

Hermione gulped, and Bella headed down to her thighs, kissing and licking her way up them, making Hermione gasp and moan. "Oh… stop…" She whispered.

"But you don't want me to…" Bella said, smirking as Hermione's body reacted by her hips jerking up erratically. "Say my name." Bella said, still kissing up her thighs.

Hermione moaned. "Oh god…"

"Say it." Bella demanded again, stopping her kisses before the girls' entrance.

"Bella…" Hermione moaned. Bella smirked, bring her head up to Hermione's and kissing her harshly, leaving the other girl breathless. She shoved her leg between Hermione's legs. "You want me." Hermione refused to meet her eyes, but shuddered when Bella gripped her hip with one hand and stroked her slick entrance with the other. Bella watched her face.

"Stop!" Hermione cried.

Bella just looked at her passively, then fingered Hermione's clit. Hermione moaned, arching her back again. Bella roughly forced in four of her fingers without warning, making Hermione gasp sharply at the pain. "Bella!" She screamed, bucking her hips to meet her fingers, as Bella thrusted harder into her, entering her to the hilt. Hermione gasped, bucking violently as Bella slipped her fingers in and out harder and faster, not caring as Hermione bled in pain at the violation. Bella watched her face darkly as she entered her.

"Uh… oh… oh…" Hermione moaned.

Bella gripped her hips harder, her nails biting into Hermione's skin. "That's it… come for be my little whore!" She hissed as she rode her, thrusting hard. Hermione's hips bucked one last time as Bella violently shoved her fingers into her with a brutal thrust, making Hermione come and bang against the bed hard. She panted on the bed, finished. Bella ignored this, thrusting into her again.

Hermione cried out, her back arching and her hips bucking against her will. Bella continued to thrust into her, ignoring Hermione's tears as the pain seemed to rip her apart. Bella gripped her to her tighter, thrusting continuously as Hermione gasped and bucked in time with the thrusting, coming again. Bella ignored this again and immediately continued violating her with her fingers, pumping violently into her.

After what seemed like hours Bella finally stopped, straddling Hermione and watching as Hermione groaned in pain. Bella leaned down and kissed her throat, biting hard and sucking the blood she'd drawn. "You are mine." She ran her hands down Hermione's body, cupping her breasts. She went down further, grinning maliciously, and slowly slid one finger into her, making Hermione arch her back and moan. "He can't make you feel this way… not like I can." She told her.

She stuck in two more fingers, still going incredibly slow. "My pretty little whore." She said, kissing Hermione as she started whimpering. Suddenly she violently thrusted four of her fingers in, making Hermione immediately orgasm and come. "Don't forget you belong to me. You'll come back to me… for this…" She started thrusting three fingers into her, watching as she came on her fingers. She lifted her fingers to Hermione's lips, shoving her fingers into her mouth, watching Hermione wince and suck them off. "That's your taste, of how I make you feel." She told her in satisfaction. "He'll never make you that happy." She said, watching her wistfully and stroking her hair. Hermione lay still on the bed, her breath coming out in short gasps as she stared at the ceiling, her body convulsing every once in a while, still getting over the attack. Bella leaned in, brushed her lips against her cheek and whispered in her ear. "Who could refrain, That had a heart to love, and in that heart, Courage to make love known?"

She got off the girl and undid the bonds keeping Hermione there, then undid the charms on the room and door. Hermione slowly sat up, and Bella chucked Edwards tee-shirt at her naked form. "Leave." She hissed.

Hermione gasped, wide eyed, and pulled the tee-shirt on, then limped out of the room. Bella slowly let out a breath, then silent tears fell down her cheeks. She buried her face in the pillows, breathing in  
Hermione's scent. "Why…?" She murmured to herself.

- - -

Hermione got back to Edwards room and saw that he was still asleep. She quietly gathered her things, pulling her own clothes on and leaving Edward a note on his table. 'I think we should stop seeing each other. Sorry for how abrupt this is, but I don't think I'm ready. Hermione.' The note read. With one last look at Edwards angelic sleeping face, Hermione apparated to the Malfoy manor.


	5. Recovering

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, Twilight, or the Lemony Snicket books. Quotes from the twilight series have been used below, though.

(a/n: Half way through this chapter I decided to try and make Hermione and Bella more in character. Also, sorry it took a while to update, my computer had a virus. Oh, and by the way- Edward's not a vampire.)

Chapter Five

Hermione tried to ignore the buzzing of voices in the corridor outside her room. Ginny and Draco thought she was still asleep, so they made no attempt to lower their voices.

"…three days. It's been three bloody days since the night she went out with him, and for all those days she's been in some kind of zombie-like trance. It's not normal. She can't even eat without gagging. All she does is sleep, and when she gets out of bed, she showers for about two hours! Rafilla said she saw her scrubbing furiously in 'unusual places', and-"

"You had a house-elf spy on her? In the shower?" 

"A girl house-elf! And get your mind out of the gutter, ew. Anyway, she barely even talks. She won't tell me anything!"

"Leave her alone, Ginny. She'll snap out of it soon. In the mean time, I'm going to figure out what that Edward guy did to her and make him pay…"

"Revenge will not solve anything!"

"But it will make me feel better."

"That's it. I'm trying again." 

Hermione winced as Ginny marched in the room, pulling Hermione up. "Alright. I've tried almost everything, but now I'm just going to let you heal yourself. Hermione, go to that muggle library you love today. You haven't been there in a while."

Hermione immediately gasped, paling. "No thanks Gin-""

"Why?"

"No reason." No point making her feel bad about what had happened, she reasoned. She had decided not to tell anyone about it. Being raped by Edward was one thing- she had remembered that after a while- but being raped by a girl was pathetic. She could almost hear what people would say about it. 'Little tramp, probably wanted it.' 'Slut, bet she just begged for it.' 'Lesbian whore.'

The psychological torture Bella put her through had made Hermione convinced it was her fault. She couldn't bare to burden Ginny or Draco with what had happened, either. Sure, they would try to be understanding, sympathetic- but they would never really understand. 

"Then hop to." Ginny said. "And I'll know if you don't go- you and that place inside that muggle library are on my watch."

Hermione groaned and nodded reluctantly. Besides, maybe Bella wouldn't be there today.

- - -

Half an hour later saw Hermione walking boldly into the library, past the towering shelves and finally to her little cut of sanctuary. With a sigh of relief Hermione noted that it was empty. She sat in one of the bean bags, too distracted by her thoughts to read. Just as she'd been about to fall asleep she heard someone enter.

Bella stood there, a look of shock on her face. She was wearing jeans and a dark blue singlet, holding more books than her petite form should have been able to carry. "Hermione," she whispered, shooting the girl a sad glance before dropping her books on the desk and going to sit beside her on the bean bags. Hermione felt her eyes tear up and she cried, sobbing loudly.

Bella reached over awkwardly, patting her back soothingly. "Oh god, I'm so sorry… it never meant to happen, I just… seeing you in his top… I guess you thought we were just friends - laughing at things we couldn't explain, sneaking glances at each other - and I'd been wishing for something more."

Hermione wailed louder, and Bella shushed her. "You were… like a drug to me, I guess."

"You're brand of heroin?" Hermione whispered, her sobs slowing down.

Bella smiled somewhat sadly. "Exactly my brand of heroin. But I don't want to hurt you. So I'm going to leave you, and you'll never have to see me again. I'm so sorry for everything I've done that's hurt you." She made to stand up, but Hermione pulled her back down, beating her fist against Bella, and started sobbing again.

Bella looked stunned for a moment, and then hugged her as tightly as she could. "I'm so sorry 'Mione." She whispered.

Hermione ignored what the girl was saying and breathed slowly, trying to calm herself. "Why… why can't you just be normal? Why can't _I_?"

Bella smiled softly at her. "I can't imagine how awful that must feel. Being normal? Ugh. "

Hermione giggled a bit, her sobs stopped completely. She seemed to snap out of whatever trance she was in while she was crying though, as she stared at Bella, a look of fear on her face as she started to hyperventilate. "Oh my god… I'm… I'm such a whore." She said.

Bella looked at her, worried. "No! No, I never meant that. You are anything but that!" Hermione slowly calmed down again. She stared at Bella for a moment, as though she'd never seen her before. Bella looked into her eyes, drowning in pools of cinnamon. "Hermione," she whispered, bringing her hand up to cup her face. She leaned forward slowly, cringing when Hermione jerked away.

"Read any good books lately?" Bella asked lightly, quickly changing the subject as if everything before hadn't happened. "I just finished rereading Wuthering heights."

Hermione slowly smiled. "I still say it's a hate story." She said.

Bella smiled, relieved that Hermione seemed to be back to normal. "I agree. Just, it's an epic inevitable love story as well."

Hermione sniffed and went still. "You know, I'm normally not so weak… so vulnerable… such a- a pushover." She said slowly, staring into space. "You caught be at a bad time…" she let out a small laugh. "As you know, only a while ago I found my ex in bed with my best friend. It… hurt."

Bella looked at the sad expression on Hermione's face, wanting to hug her and tell her everything would be okay, she'd make it alright. But she couldn't. She knew she couldn't. Not when she was part of the problem herself.

Bella stood up, a look of determination on her face. She grabbed Hermione's hand and tugged her to her feet. "It's lunch- lets go get something to eat." She pulled Hermione through the library and out onto the streets.

"Bells!" A voice called from behind them. Edward motioned them over from where he had parked his silver Volvo. They came closer and he looked at his cousin's friend in surprise. "…Hermione?"

Hermione looked uneasy. "Hi…"

"I've been trying to get a hold of you, but Draco and Ginny wouldn't let me near you! And what was with that note?!" He exclaimed.

"Sorry, but I don't think things were working out." She looked up at him. "We weren't working out."

Edward looked angry for a moment, but then turned to Bella, looking suspicious. "Wait… the girl you've been telling me about- is it her?"

Bella nodded and Edward swore loudly. "Why? I told you how important she was to me!" He scowled.

Bella glared back. "Well she's important to me too! Imagine how I felt, listening to you fuck her in the room next to me!" She growled.

Hermione shrank back from the conversation, watching nervously.

Edward shook his head. "I love you Bells, but don't do this, please. Besides, I don't think it's what Hermione wants…" At this he turned to Hermione.

"Are you… do you want to be with her?" He asked gently.

Hermione looked from him to Bella. "We're friends I think… I don't- don't want her." she said quietly, watching Bella wince. "But Edward- I don't want you either." He sighed in resignation.

"Alright, whatever…," he got back into his car. "And, hey, Bells?" He asked with a sneer.

"What?" Bella asked, putting a possessive arm around an uncomfortable resisting Hermione.

"You should give up too. Just because-" He paused to look at them in distain, "You can make her come with your hand, doesn't mean she'll be yours."

Bella narrowed her eyes and flipped him the finger. "Stupid, shiny, Volvo owner." She muttered, as the shiny silver Volvo in question drove past.

Hermione shoved her away at this, finally able to get Bella's arms off her. Bella responded by grabbing her hand and pulling her across the road into the café. Bella ordered them both black coffee's and sat down. Hermione looked grumpy and sat silently.

Bella rolled her eyes. "Stop looking like that." Hermione glanced up at her but still refused to say anything. "Look, I know you don't like it, but you've decided to keep me as a friend, right?" Hermione shrugged, then nodded.

Bella sat back with a relieved sigh. "Good..."

Hermione looked at her coolly. "Uh huh." She said her voice flat.

"Look- my birthday is this Saturday, and there's going to be a 'surprise,'" she paused to laugh a little, "party. I'd really like it if you came?"

Hermione shrugged.

"It'll be fun. I'm asking you as my friend… please?"

Hermione looked thoughtful for a moment. "…Why not."

Bella smiled enthusiastically. "Great! Okay, well I get surprised by it at about eight, so do you want to come at about nine? I think that's the best way to avoid Edward, he is the one throwing me the party."

"You think he still will after today?"

"He's already invited everyone, so I don't think he'll cancel it. He invited too many people to do that."

"Alright. See you in two days then, I guess." Hermione said, standing up and walking out.

"You're leaving already?" Bella asked, surprised.

Hermione nodded.

"See you, then!" Bella called to her retreating form. 


End file.
